UN Food Agency 'Pauses' Movement in Gaza After its Vehicle is Hit by Bullets

The U.N. food agency says it is “pausing” the movement of all staff in Gaza until further notice after one of its clearly marked vehicles was hit by at least 10 bullets as it was moving toward an Israeli military checkpoint at the Wadi Gaza bridge in the center of the territory.

The World Food Program announcement Wednesday afternoon said the vehicle was struck Tuesday evening despite receiving multiple clearances by Israeli authorities to approach.

“None of the employees onboard were physically harmed,” WFP said.

The agency said two armoured WFP vehicles were returning from the Kerem Shalom crossing after escorting a convoy of trucks carrying humanitarian cargo routed to Gaza’s central area.

“Though this is not the first security incident to occur during the war it is the first time that a WFP vehicle has been directly shot at near a checkpoint, despite securing the necessary clearances, as per standard protocol,” the Rome-based agency said.

It called the incident “a stark reminder of the rapidly and ever shrinking humanitarian space in the Gaza Strip, where increasing violence compromises our ability to deliver life-saving assistance.”

WFP said this critical situation is exacerbated “by restricted access and heightened risks” which has led to a decrease in the amount of food reading Palestinians in desperate need.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the vehicle was struck by Israeli military gunfire, “including with bullets targeting front windows.”

He said the incident shows the need for more U.N. armoured vehicles, saying the two people inside the WFP vehicle were saved because it was armoured.