The World Food Program (WFP) announced that due to budget shortfalls, it has been forced to significantly reduce its aid in Gaza. This action will deprive about 500,000 people of monthly food support, while two-thirds of the population in this area are struggling to secure food.
Reduction in the Number of Aid Recipients
The World Food Program announced that it will reduce the number of its monthly aid recipients from 1.6 million to 1.1 million. Additionally, food rations have been cut in half, and cash assistance for 75,000 families has been halted. The number of daily hot meals for those unable to cook has also been reduced from 250,000 to 150,000.
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Critical Food Security Situation in Gaza
The World Food Program noted that about 1.4 million people in Gaza, equivalent to two-thirds, are facing critical or worse food security levels, including nearly 200,000 people in emergency conditions. This comes as the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered by the United States last year, has yet to reach the reconstruction phase in Gaza.
David Beasley, the interim executive director of the World Food Program, said in Gaza, "Life here is still terrible. We have no proper shelter, and basic services are not available." He added that this reduction in aid comes as the region is on the brink of entering its fourth harsh winter.
The World Food Program requires $450 million over the next six months to continue its vital operations in Gaza and the West Bank. Beasley urged the international community to increase their support during this critical time and help maintain the progress made.
The Gaza government, controlled by Hamas, described the World Food Program's announcement as "catastrophic" and warned of an increasing risk of hunger in the region. Sabrin Kouhil, a Palestinian woman in the Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, said, "We have been struggling with war, destruction, siege, and bloodshed for three years. Enough is enough, we are tired."
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