Hamas urges UN to resume Gaza food aid

Gaza's Hamas rulers on Friday urged the United Nations to reconsider its suspension of food aid for Palestinian refugees, imposed after protesters stormed a UN depot, AFP reports.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, stopped food deliveries after dozens of Gazans forced their way into the field office on Thursday, demanding reinstatement of a monthly cash allowance to poor families which was halted from April 1 due to budget cuts.

"This is an unjustified step from UNRWA," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP.

"There is a right of peaceful protest for Palestinian refugees," he said, adding: "We call on UNRWA to reevaluate its position and not to overreact to residents' protest."

The protesters were removed by UN security when they tried to break into a building, staff told AFP.

"With the situation further compounded by today's actions, all relief and distribution centres will consequently remain closed until guarantees are given by all relevant groups that UNRWA operations can continue unhindered."
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"We in Hamas and the government are preventing entry (of protesters) to UNRWA headquarters in Gaza," he said.

"We are providing appropriate conditions for UNRWA's work."