WFP Suspends Gaza Staff Movement After Vehicle Targeted by IOF
A WFP statement says the vehicle was hit at least 10 times as it reached the Israeli checkpoint at the Wadi Gaza bridge after completing a mission in southern Gaza.
The World Food Programme announced Wednesday that it was suspending staff travel in Gaza “until further notice” after one of its vehicles was hit by gunfire at an Israeli military checkpoint.
“This is totally unacceptable and the latest in a series of unnecessary security incidents that have endangered the lives of WFP’s team in Gaza,” Cindy McCain, director of the UN food agency, said of the Tuesday incident in which no one was injured.
The agency released a photograph of a white, UN-branded vehicle with its windows appearing damaged by several bullets.
The vehicle was hit at least 10 times as it reached the Israeli checkpoint at the Wadi Gaza bridge after completing a mission in southern Gaza, according to a WFP statement.
Earlier, the United Nations reported that Israeli military gunfire damaged a UN relief truck while it was part of a convoy in Gaza organized by the Israeli occupation military.
“We have no way to assess the mindset of those who are shooting at us,” UN Secretary-General spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding that it was unclear whether information regarding the convoy’s progress exchanged with Israeli officials was passed down.
This is not the first time UN trucks have been targeted since the Israeli war on Gaza began.
In May, a UN staff member from India was killed after their vehicle was hit by what the UN described as tank fire in southern Gaza.
