World Food Programme halves number of aid recipients in occupied West Bank
The World Food Programme said it is to cut the number of people receiving assistance in the occupied West Bank by half owing to a lack of funding. The "difficult decision" means 200,000 of the 400,000 people the WFP has been helping will continue to receive cash vouchers, food items, livelihood programmes or nutritional services, the UN body said. The cut is to take effect this month. The WFP…
The World Food Programme (WFP) has decided to halve the number of people receiving aid in the occupied West Bank due to insufficient funding. This difficult decision will impact 200,000 out of the 400,000 individuals previously receiving cash vouchers, food items, livelihood programmes, or nutritional services. The cut is set to commence this month.
The WFP highlighted that the need for assistance in the West Bank has more than doubled since 2023, following an escalation in violence by Israeli forces and illegal settlers, which led to the displacement of Palestinians and disruption of livelihoods. Over two-thirds of households in the region have experienced a significant decline in income, while food and fuel prices remain among the highest in the area.
Rural regions have been particularly affected, with settlers attacking farmers, stealing their crops, burning their land, or killing their livestock, leaving families unable to afford sufficient food. Shaun Hughes, the WFP country director for Palestine, expressed concern over the situation, urging the international community to promptly increase support for Palestinians.
The funding shortage has also impacted WFP operations in Gaza, which currently serve 1.5 million people. In July, the WFP reduced cash assistance for 375,000 people by 40 percent and warned of additional cuts if funding did not improve. Over the next six months, beginning in September 2026, the WFP urgently requires an additional $386 million to serve an estimated two million food-insecure people across Gaza and the West Bank.
Aid operations in Gaza are already challenging due to an Israeli blockade, despite a fragile ceasefire that allows humanitarian assistance to flow into the enclave. British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians reported that three UN warehouses in Gaza's Deir Al Balah were damaged during an Israeli strike, and other warehouses operated by the charity's partners were extensively damaged in a separate incident just the week before.
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