World Food Programme Cuts Gaza Aid for 500,000 People Over Budget Deficit

The World Food Programme has announced substantial reductions to its operations in the Gaza Strip, cutting monthly food assistance for half a million residents. The United Nations agency cited a severe funding shortfall for the decision, which reduces its overall support in the territory by approximately one-third as winter approaches.^3,5,10,12

Following the cutbacks, the agency will continue providing food parcels or cash aid to roughly 1.1 million people, representing about half of Gaza's population. However, agency representatives noted that recipients will receive lower quantities than before, despite the vast majority of local residents relying on outside assistance for daily sustenance.^6,7,8,10,16

Shaun Hughes, the organisation's country director for Palestine, cautioned that circumstances have not recovered sufficiently to scale back relief. According to The Guardian, about two-thirds of the population experiences crisis-level food shortages, with 200,000 people facing immediate danger of famine. A year after a United States-brokered truce, reconstruction has stalled and employment remains scarce.^2,5,7,8,16

The agency stated that earlier operations had softened the impact of famine conditions reported last year, though Israeli authorities had contested that characterisation of the territory's situation. Agency officials warned that the current budgetary cutbacks threaten to undo fragile gains made in regional food security.^6,7,9