UN halts Gaza aid over 'thefts'

UN trucks have been passing through Kerem Shalom crossing to deliver aid

The UN aid agency in Gaza says it has suspended all relief shipments after hundreds of tonnes worth of food aid were seized by the Hamas government.

Ten truckloads of flour and rice were taken from the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom crossing, the UN's Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) said.

Unrwa said it would not restart aid until it had assurances from Hamas that such thefts would not be repeated.

Gaza is facing a humanitarian crisis after Israel's three-week offensive.

About half the population is dependent on UN food aid. The UN said it had increased its food distribution in recent weeks to cover 900,000 of Gaza's population of 1.5 million.

Israel intensified a blockade on the territory 19 months ago when Hamas took over the territory.

Second incident

Unrwa said the trucks of food had been imported from Egypt, and were due to be collected by its staff at the Kerem Shalom crossing on Friday.

"The food was taken away by trucks contracted by the Ministry of Social Affairs," the agency said in a statement.

It was the second incident in three days. On Tuesday, 3,500 blankets and more than 400 food parcels were seized at gunpoint from a distribution centre in Gaza, the UN said.

The suspension "will remain in effect until the aid is returned and the Agency is given credible assurances from the Hamas government in Gaza that there will be no repeat of these thefts", a statement said.