Summary

The United Nations halted food distribution in Rafah due to the unstable security situation from Israel's military operations, expressing concern over the near collapse of humanitarian aid across Gaza. The UN also reported that no aid trucks have entered Rafah in two days via a US floating pier, warning that the project might fail without better conditions from the Israeli government. President Biden opposed a full-scale ground invasion of Rafah due to the civilian population, with hundreds of thousands having fled the city, although many remain amidst ongoing military offensives. The UN's World Food Program is running out of food for central Gaza, warning of potential famine-like conditions if aid does not resume. This suspension coincides with backlash over the International Criminal Court's request for arrest warrants for leaders from both Israel and Hamas, supported by three European countries including France.

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The United Nations halted food distribution in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as of Tuesday. This suspension is the result of the unstable security situation in the region due to Israel’s expanding military operations. The UN expressed concern about the stability of humanitarian aid across the territory, warning that it is nearing collapse. 

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In addition to halting food distribution, the UN also said no aid trucks have been able to enter the city over the past two days via a floating pier set up by the US for sea deliveries. The UN warned the American led project may be in jeopardy if the Israeli government doesn’t provide the conditions humanitarian groups need to operate effectively. 

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President Joe Biden previously expressed opposition to a full-scale ground invasion of Rafah by Israeli armed forces attempting to root out Hamas fighters in the city. Biden cited concerns about aggression towards a city that contains many civilians that have been displaced from other areas of the Gaza strip.

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In the past two weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have fled from Rafah in anticipation of a potential ground invasion there. However, several hundred thousand civilians remain in the city following a military offensive launched there on May 6th. 

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Tensions in the region continue to rise as the Israeli military continues to launch attacks against Hamas fighters, whom the Israeli government said have regrouped in areas already captured in offensives throughout the past few months.

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Although the UN hopes to reinstate humanitarian aid to Rafah, the UN’s World Food Program stated it was running out of food for the hundreds of thousands of people now living in central Gaza. The leaders of the  program warned about potential “famine-like conditions” if circumstances surrounding humanitarian aid do not improve.

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This suspension comes as Israeli officials grapple with backlash from the announcement that the International Criminal Court will be requesting arrest warrants for leaders from both Israel and Hamas. The move received support from three European countries, including France, a key ally to Israel.

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U.N. halts all food distribution in Rafah after running out of supplies in Gaza city | AP News

UN suspends Rafah aid distribution and warns US pier may fail | Israel-Gaza war | The Guardian

UN halts all food distribution in Rafah after running out of supplies in the southern Gaza city

UN halts food shipments to Rafah as supplies run out | The Hill