UN halts delivery of food and supplies to Gaza amid communications blackout

Israel has barred entry to fuel since the start of the war, saying it would be diverted by Hamas for military means. It has also barred food, water and other supplies except for a trickle of aid from Egypt that aid workers say falls far short of what’s needed.

The United Nations was forced to stop deliveries of food and other necessities to Gaza on Friday and warned of the growing possibility of widespread starvation after Internet and telephone services collapsed in the besieged enclave because of a lack of fuel.

Israel announced that it will allow for the first time “very minimal” daily shipments of fuel into Gaza for use by the UN and communications system. It appeared the amount would be far less than what the UN has said is needed to fuel water systems, hospitals and trucks to deliver aid — not counting the communications network.

Israel has barred entry to fuel since the start of the war, saying it would be diverted by Hamas for military means. It has also barred food, water and other supplies except for a trickle of aid from Egypt that aid workers say falls far short of what’s needed.

The communications blackout, now in its second day, largely cuts off Gaza’s 2.3 million people from one another and the outside world — and paralyses the coordination of aid, which humanitarian groups were already struggling to deliver because of the fuel shortage.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, was unable to bring in its aid convoy on Friday, said spokesperson Juliette Touma.

“An extended blackout means an extended suspension of our humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip,” Ms. Touma told The Associated Press.

Israeli forces, meanwhile, have signalled they could expand their offensive toward Gaza’s south even while pressing operations in the north. Troops have been searching the territory’s biggest hospital for traces of a Hamas command center the military alleges was located under the building.