UN suspends northern Gaza food deliveries as cease-fire efforts fail

The United Nations World Food Program said it is pausing deliveries of food aid to northern Gaza, saying conditions are too unsafe for relief workers to deliver the aid. 

The decision comes as the U.S. opposed another effort for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. 

The United Nations had suspended deliveries to the region for three weeks after a relief truck was struck. The agency said it had planned on sending 10 trucks of food every day for a week "to help stem the tide of hunger and desperation and to begin building trust in communities that there would be enough food for all."

But they said that relief workers have faced gunfire as they entered Gaza City on Sunday, and were only able to distribute a small quantity of food. A second convoy faced chaos on Monday as several trucks were looted.

"Gaza is hanging by a thread and WFP must be enabled to reverse the path towards famine for thousands of desperately hungry people," the UNWFP said.

SEE MORE: Israel orders new evacuations in Gaza, where children are malnourished

Earlier on Tuesday, the U.N. Security Council failed to adopt a measure that called for a humanitarian cease-fire in the Middle East. The U.S. used its veto power to block the measure. The vote marked the third time the U.S. opposed such a measure. 

The U.S. has been steadfast in supporting Israel as it continues its offensive in Gaza, which has lasted over four months since Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. 

In the months since, fighting has forced most of Gaza's 2 million residents to flee from their homes. Israel has said that Hamas fighters have placed themselves in public areas, making it challenging to go after Hamas without also endangering civilians.