Thousands of people in Gaza City looted warehouses of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency, taking food supplies and other basic items for survival, the organization reported on Sunday.
The UNRWA stated that one of the looted warehouses, located in Deir al-Balah, stores supplies from humanitarian convoys entering Gaza from Egypt.
The agency warned that the incident suggests that civil order may be breaking down in Gaza after three weeks of war and a tight blockade.
UNRWA also warns that its mandate was at risk due to insufficient funding, stating, “The needs of the communities are immense, if only for basic survival, while the aid we receive is meagre and inconsistent.”
Ever since Israel commenced its bombardment of the densely-populated Palestinian enclave in response to a deadly attack by Hamas, the ruling militant group, on October 7th, aid supplies to Gaza have been severely restricted.
The UNRWA expressed that its ability to assist people in Gaza has been significantly strained due to airstrikes, which have claimed the lives of more than 50 of its staff members and limited the movement of supplies.
Established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, UNRWA provides public services such as schools, primary healthcare, and humanitarian aid in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces have reported that additional troops entered the territory overnight, while warplanes targeted over 450 Hamas sites.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has stated that more than 8,000 people have been killed since Israel initiated its bombing campaign.
