On Thursday’s “PBS NewsHour,” outgoing U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths stated that there are “very serious” security concerns about the aid pier in Gaza and that Hamas has stolen aid and when they do, “we have negotiated to get that aid back. And, as far as I’m aware, in all cases, that has succeeded.”
“NewsHour” Foreign Affairs and Defense Correspondent Nick Schifrin asked, “There are also security concerns about the pier. U.N. officials who’ve been working to prepare the pier had to take cover when the area came under fire. How serious, from your perspective, are the security concerns for the U.N., for the World Food Program, who’s going to be part of this?”
Griffiths responded, “I think they’re very serious. For the moment, the risk level is one that we can go with on the basis that no aid is coming in the other areas. So, we’re looking at being able to fulfill our task of distribution internally and hoping that we can get the right people to help us on the beach to get aid to the World Food Program.”
Later, Schifrin asked, “There have been occasions where Hamas has diverted or stolen the aid. How do you prevent that from happening?”
Griffiths responded, “Where that’s happened, we have negotiated to get that aid back. And, as far as I’m aware, in all cases, that has succeeded. We need to get all deliveries safely delivered. Aid is going in through the north, as you know, Nick, through Erez. I think 54 trucks got in there yesterday.”
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