U.N. stops food distribution in Rafah due to depleted supplies in Gaza City

The United Nations has suspended food distribution in the southern Gaza city of Rafah due to a lack of supplies and insecurity, sparking fears of famine-like conditions spreading in the region. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the U.N.’s World Food Program, warned that humanitarian operations in Gaza are on the brink of collapse if supplies do not resume entering the area in massive quantities.

The suspension of aid comes as Israel faces international scrutiny over a request by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders. The prosecutor accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of using starvation as a method of warfare, a charge vehemently denied by Israeli officials. Three Hamas leaders were also accused of war crimes over civilian killings in an attack.

The crisis in humanitarian supplies has escalated since Israel launched an incursion into Rafah on May 6, seizing the crossing into Egypt and closing it off. Aid workers are struggling to reach the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel due to ongoing fighting, further exacerbating the situation.

With over 1.1 million people in Gaza facing catastrophic levels of hunger, the U.N. warns that the territory is on the brink of famine. The suspension of aid distribution in Rafah has left thousands of vulnerable individuals without access to essential supplies, raising concerns about the worsening humanitarian crisis in the region.