The United Nations has accused armed forces affiliated with the Hamas-run government in Gaza of interfering with the delivery of food aid at a distribution site on Saturday.

Ramiz Alakbarov, the top U.N. humanitarian official in Jerusalem, denounced what he called the “obstruction of humanitarian operations” by the armed men.

He said they had forced their way into a food distribution center and entered a warehouse, which were operated by the U.N.’s World Food Program. The men had “endangered humanitarian personnel, intimidated workers delivering lifesaving food assistance and disrupted lifesaving humanitarian operations,” Mr. Alakbarov said. As a result, he said, the agency decided to suspend its work at the center.

“These incidents are not isolated. They are completely unacceptable and reflect an increasingly dangerous pattern of intimidation, violence and obstruction,” said Mr. Alakbarov. He did not name Hamas but referred to it as the “de facto authorities” in Gaza. Nor did he say what other incidents he was referring to.

Ismail Thawabteh, a spokesman for the Hamas-controlled government, said that Gaza police had raided the warehouse. But he said it was part of an anti-smuggling operation, adding that Mr. Alakbarov “should have expressed appreciation and gratitude to the government authorities” for preventing the misuse of aid to bring in illicit goods.

Humanitarian aid groups say many essential goods are still difficult to come by in Gaza despite a nominal truce between Israel and Hamas that was brokered by the Trump administration. The cost of food can often still be higher than before the war, according to Gazans and aid groups. A new assessment of food security by a U.N.-backed monitor is expected later this month.

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By Aaron Boxerman and Adam Rasgon

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