UN Halts Aid to Gaza in Dispute with Hamas

[Washington Post] Griff Witte - The UN aid agency that serves more than half the residents of the Gaza Strip suspended humanitarian shipments on Friday, accusing Hamas of confiscating UN material for the second time in a week. The UN Relief and Works Agency said Hamas seized 10 trucks filled with rice and flour. Earlier in the week, the agency had accused Hamas of confiscating blankets and food from a UN warehouse. In a statement from New York, the world body said the suspension would remain in place "until the aid is returned and the agency is given credible assurances from the Hamas government in Gaza that there will be no repeat of these thefts." John Ging, head of the relief agency in Gaza, said Hamas' actions had "crossed a red line." "We're not going to bring aid in here and let it be hijacked by Hamas or anyone else."


2009-02-09 06:00:00

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