Two Dead as Thousands Storm UN Food Warehouse in Gaza Amid Hunger Crisis

Thousands of desperate Palestinians stormed a United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in central Gaza, resulting in two reported deaths and several injuries amid the deepening hunger crisis. The incident occurred as limited aid began to trickle into Gaza after a two-month Israeli blockade, following 18 months of devastating conflict that has left food security experts warning that one in five people face starvation. Video footage showed crowds looting emergency food supplies as gunfire was heard, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation. Israel and the UN traded blame, with Israel accusing the UN of hindering aid distribution, while the UN stated it was facilitating the limited assistance authorized by Israel. The controversy also involves the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private US-backed aid group bypassing the UN-led system, which Israel's UN ambassador accused the UN of trying to block through intimidation against NGOs participating in the new aid distribution mechanism. UN officials emphasize that the current aid deliveries are insufficient, urging an immediate scale-up to prevent widespread starvation in Gaza.