The United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNWRA) has announced the suspension of food distribution in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, due to supply and security problems. The city has been the scene of fighting between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. UNWRA stated on social media that the food distribution in Rafah is currently suspended due to lack of supplies and insecurity. Both the UNRWA distribution center and WFP warehouse in Rafah are inaccessible, and arrivals via the floating pier built by the United States have also been blocked for two days. The plan to use that passage for aid by sea is also at risk due to Israel’s lack of guarantees for humanitarian agencies.
Meanwhile, according to CNN, the latest attempt to reach a peace agreement in the Middle East failed due to incorrectness on the part of Egyptian mediators. They changed the terms of the agreement without notifying the other participants in the talks underway in Cairo. Israel had already given its approval to a truce agreement which included the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees, as well as a ceasefire of several weeks. The change decided by Egyptian intelligence caused the agreement to fail on May 6th, with Qatar and the USA feeling “deceived.”
Particularly embarrassed and angry about this incorrect operation was CIA director Bill Burns, according to CNN. Efforts to reach a peace agreement continue amid challenges and diplomatic setbacks in the region.