The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Gaza City

UN food distribution to half of Gaza's 1.5 million population ground to a halt on Friday as Israel maintained a total lockdown of the impoverished Palestinian territory amid continuing violence.

"We have no food," said Chris Gunness, a spokesman for the UN Works and Relief Agency which usually distributes emergency rations to about 750,000 people in the Gaza Strip, an overcrowed sliver of land crippled by a blockade Israel says aims at making militants stop their attacks. UNWRA says it was forced to stop the distribution as it has received no supplies since Israel tightened the blockade on November 5. "Our warehouses are empty," said Gunness. Israel usually allows limited quantities of humanitarian supplies into Gaza, but completely sealed off the Palestinian territory following a surge of bloodshed earlier this month.

The violence continued on Friday, when Israel launched an air raid which Palestinian medics say wounded two militants, and Israeli police said Gaza fighters fired at least one rocket at southern Israel.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak decided on Thursday night to keep the Gaza crossings closed after four rockets were fired at Israel, without causing any casualties or damage.

Israel also cut off European Union-funded fuel supplies to Gaza's sole power plant on Thursday, prompting it to shut down for want of diesel.

Humanitarian agencies warned that the continued closure would lead to a further deterioration of the already precarious situation in Gaza.

"It means children, mothers, elderly people, among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in the Middle East, are not going to get UN assistance," Gunness told AFP.

UN agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross had received clearance to deliver 30 truckloads of supplies on Thursday, but Israel turned the vehicles back, citing continued violence.

Israel had been expected to significantly ease its embargo after a six-month truce went into effect on June 19, but it argues that sporadic attacks by militants have made this impossible.