Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a troubling report accusing Israeli forces of repeatedly targeting humanitarian aid convoys and facilities in Gaza, with at least eight such incidents reported since the conflict escalated in October last year. The report, which documents the attacks, highlights severe lapses in the so-called deconfliction system intended to protect aid workers delivering critical support in the region.
The HRW report, published on May 14, 2024, indicates that these strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 31 aid workers and their companions. Alarmingly, the United Nations reports that since October 7, a total of 254 aid workers have been killed in Gaza, with 188 from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
The most recent of these attacks occurred on May 8, when a UN vehicle en route to a hospital in Gaza was struck, killing at least one UN staff member and injuring others. The report underscores that Israeli forces had been provided with the coordinates of the aid locations, yet no advance warnings were issued to the humanitarian organizations involved.
Further exacerbating the situation, the HRW report reveals that aid workers have been unable to leave Gaza since May 7, when Israeli forces took control of and closed the Rafah crossing. This has severely hindered the delivery of essential supplies and personnel movements.
Stefanie Dekker, reporting from Amman for Al Jazeera, notes that the U.S. began exerting pressure on Israel to cease these attacks following an April 1 incident where a convoy from the US-based charity World Central Kitchen was hit in central Gaza, killing seven people. This attack sparked global condemnation and highlighted the ongoing risks to humanitarian efforts in the region.
Additionally, the HRW report accuses Israeli authorities of using starvation as a method of warfare, deliberately impeding the delivery of water, food, and fuel, and systematically destroying agricultural areas necessary for the survival of Gaza’s civilian population.
Human Rights Watch’s associate director, Belkis Wille, emphasized the need for Israel’s allies to recognize the repetitive nature of these attacks and to take action to prevent further loss of life among aid workers. The international community is called upon to address these serious allegations and to ensure the protection of humanitarian operations in conflict zones.
