The oversight of the convoy was unclear. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the main U.N. aid group that serves Palestinians, stated that no U.N. agency was involved, and the Israeli military indicated that the aid would be distributed by “private contractors.”
Residents and aid officials report rampant lawlessness in many parts of northern and southern Gaza, with no clear authority taking charge of public order following Israel’s removal of Hamas forces in those areas.
The World Food Program announced last week that it had halted food deliveries to northern Gaza due to the challenges of safely delivering aid in that region.
Mr. Lazzarini mentioned on Sunday that UNRWA, whose funding has been suspended by several donor nations following an investigation into a dozen employees accused of involvement in the October 7 attacks, was last able to deliver aid to northern Gaza over a month ago.
In recent weeks, large crowds of Gazans have repeatedly intercepted aid convoys and taken supplies, sometimes while armed. Some Gazan police officers have declined to guard the convoys out of fear that their association with the Hamas-run government makes them targets of Israeli troops, according to Western officials.
Hamas official Izzat Al-Rishq blamed Israel for the deaths and stated that Hamas would not allow negotiations to halt the war to be used as a cover for ongoing crimes against the people in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Authority, controlling parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, condemned the deaths as a “heinous act” by Israeli forces and called on the international community, particularly Israel’s main ally, the United States, to intervene and stop Israel’s offensive.
Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesman, mentioned that the United States was actively seeking more information on the events and had been communicating with the Israeli government since early Thursday regarding their investigation into the deaths.
“We will closely monitor the investigation and push for answers,” he added.
