Funding shortfalls hit aid to Palestinians

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced it will reduce food aid assistance in the Gaza Strip and West Bank due to funding shortfalls. Starting this month, the number of people receiving food parcels will drop from 1.6 million to 1.1 million. Families will now receive one food parcel instead of two, and the quantity of wheat flour will be reduced.

Daily hot meals will be cut from 250,000 to 150,000, and hot meals for families in hard-to-reach areas will be provided every other day. Cash assistance to 75,000 families will also be reduced. Despite these cuts, the WFP plans to continue supporting bakeries, nutrition assistance for 300,000 women and children, and healthy school snacks for 200,000 children.

Currently, 67% of Gaza's population is facing acute food insecurity. The West Bank has also been impacted, with the number of people receiving assistance dropping from 400,000 to 200,000. The WFP has received less than half the funding for its operations in Palestine this year compared to previous years, requiring USD 450 million to maintain operations from this month through March 2027.