The main United Nations agency providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza is facing growing administrative hurdles from Israel, with a shipment amounting to a month’s supply of food blocked in port, Reuters quotes the agency’s chief as saying.

“We have an environment here which is for the time being quite hostile to the agency but there have been some decisions now which are starting to impact the ability of the agency to properly operate,” said Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) head.

He said UNRWA has been informed by a contractor that provided handling services in the port of Ashdod that it can no longer continue working with UNRWA, following instructions from the Israeli authorities.

A picture taken from Rafah shows smoke billowing during Israeli bombardment over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb 11, 2024. — AFP
A picture taken from Rafah shows smoke billowing during Israeli bombardment over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on Feb 11, 2024. — AFP

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