Israel wants to dismantle the agency. The US has halted funding. But its capacity is essential to saving lives
How are starving Palestinians to be fed? Even if the bombing stopped tomorrow, the death toll would continue to climb without a proper resumption of aid. The international court of justice (ICJ) last week ordered Israel to ensure “the unhindered provision at scale … of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance” including food, water, fuel and medical supplies.
Yet a few days on, the Israel Defense Forces’ killing of seven foreign relief workers from World Central Kitchen and their Palestinian driver has halted not only the organisation’s work but other relief operations too. Aid drops are little more than a conscience-salving gesture that has, in some cases, led to further Palestinian deaths.
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