UNRWA Warehouses in Southern Gaza Strip Face Unprecedented Empty Situation.

Gaza: The Director of Logistics at the United Nations (UN) Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, Merenda Barakat, revealed that the agency's warehouses in the southern Gaza Strip are completely empty, marking an "unprecedented" situation that the UNRWA has never encountered before. According to Qatar News Agency, Barakat made this revelation during her tour inside the UN agency's warehouses. She cited that the depletion of supplies is largely due to workers' fears of transporting goods from the Karem Abu Salem crossing, which serves as the primary entry point for humanitarian aid to Gaza. The security situation has rendered the journey from the crossing to the warehouses perilous, leading to a halt in the movement of goods. Currently, there are 700 locomotives stationed at the crossing, awaiting safer conditions to transport the much-needed aid. Barakat further explained that the theft of aid trucks is not primarily for the purpose of stealing but to destroy them, as acquiring spar e parts has become impossible under the current circumstances. Adding to the complexity of the situation, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini made the decision last Sunday to pause the entry of aid. He expressed concerns over the potential danger truck drivers face, stating that the roads have not been safe for several months.