Armed looters hijack almost 100 trucks carrying aid supplies into Gaza

Humanitarian agencies warn food shortages will worsen after convoy was targeted by criminal gangs

Armed gunmen attacked and looted about 100 trucks carrying desperately needed supplies for Palestinians in Gaza over the weekend, the biggest such attack during 13 months of war in the territory and new evidence of the growing power of Gaza’s criminal gangs.

The convoy, which was transporting thousands of tonnes of food provided by UN agencies Unrwa and the World Food Programme (WFP), was attacked shortly after entering Gaza on Saturday, UN officials and local community leaders said.