Doha: The UN Human Rights Office in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt) on Friday called on the Israeli occupation forces to immediately cease all attacks against Palestinians attempting to provide security for humanitarian aid convoys and other supplies to Gaza, and to comply with their obligations under international law to facilitate and protect the delivery of humanitarian aid and other vital necessities to the Strip.

According to Qatar News Agency, the UN Office stressed that such attacks have significantly contributed to the spread of famine among civilians. The UN Office said in a statement that since the beginning of August, it has documented 11 incidents of attacks on Palestinians while providing security for convoys in northern and central Gaza. These incidents have resulted in the deaths of at least 46 Palestinians, most of whom were security personnel accompanying aid and supply convoys, along with some aid seekers, and the injury of others.

It also confirmed that since the beginning of the war, it had documented dozens of incidents in which Israeli forces had unlawfully targeted civilian police personnel in the Gaza Strip, contributing to the collapse of public order around supply convoys amid growing desperation for food in the face of worsening famine. It noted that the current attacks on those attempting to secure humanitarian aid convoys and other supplies were contributing to "exacerbating the chaos and worsening hunger among Palestinians."

The UN Office emphasized that civilian police and security personnel are protected under international law from Israeli attacks, but that this does not apply to securing food aid convoys intended for civilians. It emphasized that Israel, as the occupying power, is obligated under international humanitarian law to ensure the safety and security of the population in the occupied territories, and that any targeting of civilian police and security personnel in Gaza constitutes a direct violation of this responsibility.

Several UN organizations have called on the occupation forces to open the crossings to allow aid into the Gaza Strip, whose population are facing an unprecedented famine and humanitarian crisis.