On the morning of July 20th, a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy carrying food assistance to northern Gaza came under fire from Israeli tanks, snipers, and other gunfire shortly after passing the Zikim border crossing, resulting in casualties and injuries among civilians attempting to access the aid. The WFP expressed deep concern and sadness over the "tragic incident" in a statement released on July 20th, noting that "countless lives" were lost and many more suffered "life-threatening injuries." The statement highlighted that the civilians were "simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation" and that the incident "underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which humanitarian operations are forced to be conducted in Gaza." The WFP also stated that the incident occurred "despite assurances from Israeli authorities that humanitarian operational conditions would improve," including that armed forces would not be present or engage along humanitarian convoy routes. The WFP reiterated its stance that "there should never, ever, be armed groups near or on our aid convoys" and called for "shootings near humanitarian missions, convoys and food distributions" to stop immediately, deeming "any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid" as "completely unacceptable." The organization emphasized its commitment to operating with "independence, impartiality and neutrality" and stated that "without these fundamental conditions in place, we cannot continue providing life-saving support across the Gaza strip." In a separate statement on July 24th, the State Department spokesperson commented on the broader conflict, stating, "President Trump's commitment to diplomacy has been clear from the start. Hamas broke the ceasefire. They said no to diplomacy. Now we're going to use other tools with our partners in the region."
