UN Reports Most Flour Delivered to Gaza Looted or Taken by Starving Residents

The United Nations reported on Monday that its ability to provide essential wheat flour to Gaza has been severely limited since Israel lifted its aid blockade three weeks ago. Most of the flour delivered has either been looted by armed gangs or taken by starving Palestinians before it could reach those in need.

Deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq confirmed that the organization has transported 4,600 metric tons of wheat flour into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, the only entry point Israel allows. However, Haq explained that aid groups in Gaza estimate between 8,000 and 10,000 metric tons are needed to provide each family with a bag of flour and help alleviate market pressure.

“Most of the flour was taken by desperate, starving people before it could even reach its intended destinations. In some instances, armed gangs looted the supplies,” Haq said.

According to World Food Programme guidelines, 4,600 metric tons of flour would only provide around eight days’ worth of bread for Gaza’s 2 million residents, based on a daily ration of 300 grams per person.

Haq urged Israel to allow significantly more aid to flow into Gaza through multiple crossings and routes. Since Israel partially lifted the 11-week blockade in mid-May, the UN has primarily delivered flour along with limited medical and nutritional items. However, experts warn that Gaza is on the brink of famine, with the rate of acute malnutrition among young children nearly tripling.

The UN has faced significant opposition in its efforts to deliver aid. Israel and the U.S. have pushed for the UN to work with the controversial new Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), but the UN has rejected this approach, citing concerns over the foundation’s neutrality and accusing it of militarizing aid and forcing displacement.

The GHF, which began operating in Gaza on May 26, is using private U.S. security and logistics firms to distribute aid and reported on Monday that it has provided 11.4 million meals so far. However, Israel has been criticized for imposing restrictions on how the UN delivers aid, forcing it to offload supplies on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing. From there, the UN and other aid organizations are responsible for picking up the supplies and distributing them within Gaza.

The UN has also accused Israel of regularly denying access requests, further complicating its efforts to address the dire humanitarian crisis.