The World Food Programme (WFP) is set to significantly reduce its food aid to the Gaza Strip, impacting the lives of many in the Palestinian territory. The UN agency announced that due to funding shortages, the number of people receiving assistance will drop from 1.6 million to 1.1 million, a reduction of about one-third.
This cutback comes as winter approaches, exacerbating the challenges faced by families already struggling to meet their daily nutritional needs. Community kitchens, which currently provide 250,000 hot meals daily, will see their output reduced to 150,000 meals. Families in remote areas, such as those near the Yellow Line, will receive meals every other day instead of daily.
Gaza, home to 2.1 million people, remains heavily reliant on aid, with two-thirds of its population dependent on food assistance. Displaced residents like Mervat al-Satari, a mother of five, express deep concern over the reduced rations. "It's a disaster! What will we do with these reduced rations? How will we provide for the little ones?" she lamented.
The WFP's Palestine director, Shaun Hughes, emphasized that the cuts are purely financial and not due to a decrease in need or access issues. Since July, cash transfers to half a million people have already been reduced, limiting their ability to purchase food locally. The number of Gazans receiving flour and ration boxes will decrease from 1.1 million to 600,000 monthly.
The agency says it urgently requires $450 million to sustain critical operations over the next six months. Despite a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, violence persists, and humanitarian conditions remain dire. Israeli control over goods entering Gaza has stymied reconstruction efforts, leaving markets stocked but unaffordable for most.
Dalal al-Dahdouh, living in the ruins of her home in Gaza City with her family of eight, fears the impact of the new cuts. "The flour isn't enough and the food boxes aren't enough either, " she said, contrasting the current situation with life before the war when her family had access to fresh vegetables and proper sanitation.
Cooking gas is unavailable in Gaza, as Israel considers it a "dual use" item that could be repurposed by Hamas. Consequently, families resort to burning plastic and cardboard to cook, as wood is too costly. Hughes described the humanitarian situation as "very concerning, " with most people lacking proper homes, water, sanitation, and healthcare access.
Despite some improvements over the past year, acute food insecurity and the risk of famine remain significant threats. The Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) reported that two-thirds of Gaza's population, or 1.4 million people, were expected to face crisis levels of acute food insecurity from July to December 2026.
For now, the WFP continues to support bakeries that provide one-third of Gaza's bread needs and offer nutritional assistance to about 300,000 women and children. Additionally, it delivers health food snacks to approximately 200,000 children. In the occupied West Bank, the WFP aids 200,000 Palestinians, having halved the number of recipients in September due to rising food insecurity driven by increased Israeli settler violence and Palestinian displacement.
