Advertisement

       SKIP ADVERTISEMENT

       You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.

       Newsletter

       Morning Briefing: Asia Pacific Edition

       Monday Briefing: Fears of Anarchy Grow in Gaza

       Also, Pakistan’s newly elected prime minister and a bard of China’s rust belt

       Share full article

       By Amelia Nierenberg

       March 3, 2024

       Image

       Palestinians who were wounded by Israeli gunfire while waiting for aid last week, according to health officials. Credit...Kosay Al Nemer/Reuters

       Gaza’s deadly leadership vacuum Last week, more than 100 people were killed in northern Gaza, health officials there said, after thousands of Gazans rushed at aid trucks. The crush on Thursday led to a stampede and prompted Israeli soldiers to fire at the crowd.

       The immediate causes were extreme hunger and desperation: The U.N. has warned that famine is looming in northern Gaza, where roughly 300,000 civilians are still stranded and aid deliveries are rare — and can be fraught.

       But there is a deeper problem: Even though fighting has ebbed in the north, Israel has been reluctant to fill the current leadership vacuum there. In trying to prevent Hamas from rebuilding, Israel stopped police officers from the Hamas-led government from escorting the trucks — and has delayed the creation of any alternative Palestinian law enforcement.

       That means that there is no centralized body to coordinate the provision of services, enforce law and order, and protect the aid trucks. Video has emerged of armed groups attacking convoys, and diplomats say criminal gangs are beginning to fill the void left by Hamas.

       Victims: More than 30,000 Gazans have been killed during Israel’s bombardment and invasion during the war. Here are some of their stories.

       Red Sea: A British-owned cargo ship sank about two weeks after it was hit by the Houthis. It was carrying fertilizer, which could pose environmental risks to the waterway.

       We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

       Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

       Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

       Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

       Already a subscriber? Log in.

       Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

       Advertisement

       SKIP ADVERTISEMENT