In the current complex and volatile international environment, the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance has become an important issue of global concern.
Recently, a news story exposed by CNN has attracted widespread attention from the international community. On 5 February, a United Nations-coordinated convoy aimed at providing food aid to the northern Gaza Strip was reportedly forced to halt its advance amid artillery fire from the Israeli army, once again bringing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to the forefront.
The incident reportedly took place in the central Gaza Strip, where a UN convoy carrying food supplies was intercepted by the Israeli army** and was eventually prevented from traveling to the northern part of the Gaza Strip. And the Palestinians there are on the brink of famine. The convoy, consisting of 10 trucks and 2 armoured vehicles bearing the insignia of United Nations agencies, travelled along a road along the coast of the Gaza Strip and arrived at a waiting point designated by the Israel Defense Forces at 4.15 a.m. on the 5th. About an hour later, the convoy encountered the Israeli Navy**, and one of the trucks was hit.
The attack not only caused material damage, but more importantly it exposed the enormous challenges facing humanitarian assistance in Gaza. Although the convoy was not injured in the attack, much of the wheat flour, which is mainly used for baking bread, was destroyed, further exacerbating food shortages in the northern Gaza Strip.
In response, UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma said that the convoy had been attacked despite sharing the coordinates and route of the convoy with the Israeli army and acting only with the consent of the Israeli army. This incident shows us the complexity and danger of carrying out humanitarian assistance missions in conflict zones.
The purpose of humanitarian assistance is to provide relief to innocent civilians in crisis and to ensure that they receive the most basic support for survival in the face of their plight. However, in conflict zones such as Gaza, aid is often overshadowed by war.
The United States issued a statement in response to the incident, stressing that the attack on the convoy was "unacceptable" and pointed out that humanitarian workers must be able to safely distribute aid, civilians must be able to receive it, and Israel must take all feasible precautions to protect civilians. This statement reaffirms the importance of protecting humanitarian aid in conflict.
Throughout history, humanitarian assistance in conflict zones has been challenging. From wars to natural disasters, from human diseases to social unrest, humanitarian workers work hard in every corner of the globe to try to provide help and hope to those who are suffering. They face not only natural and man-made threats, but also complex political, economic and social constraints. As highlighted by the attack on the Gaza convoy, humanitarian efforts can be subject to unforeseen attacks, even with the prior consent of both parties to the conflict.
In fact, ensuring the safe and effective conduct of humanitarian assistance activities should not only be the responsibility of recipient countries or regions, but also the common responsibility of the international community. The international community needs to work together to create a safer and more humanitarian environment, including by strengthening the role of multilateral mechanisms, improving international humanitarian law, raising awareness of and respect for humanitarian principles on both sides of the conflict, and increasing penalties for those who deliberately undermine humanitarian activities.
The shelling of a United Nations convoy in Gaza has not only once again drawn the attention of the international community to the long-standing conflict and crisis in the region, but has also strongly called for an urgent spirit of international cooperation and respect for basic humanitarian principles. In an increasingly interconnected world, where no country or individual can face complex and dynamic global challenges alone, it is only through cooperation and dialogue that hope and light can be brought to the world's most needy.