In brief
The World Food Programme has exhausted its food stocks in Gaza, warning of a humanitarian crisis as community kitchens prepare to close, leaving millions at risk.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that it has completely wiped out its food supply in Gaza due to the ongoing Israeli blockade, which has persisted for seven weeks. The agency stated, "Today, WFP delivered its last remaining food stocks to hot meals kitchens," emphasizing that these impoverished kitchens, which provide around one million meals daily, are projected to run out of food imminently.The consequences of the blockade have been dire. Israel suspended humanitarian aid on March 2, expanding its military operations after the breakdown of a two-month ceasefire aimed at persuading Hamas to release hostages. Despite Israel asserting compliance with international humanitarian law, the UN has reiterated that it is Israel's obligation to ensure the welfare of the 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza.At the end of March, all 25 bakeries supported by the WFP were forced to close due to depleting supplies of wheat flour and cooking fuel. Additionally, the WFP reported that food parcels previously distributed to families had been exhausted, while malnutrition rates continue to escalate alarmingly. Recent screenings claimed to have identified over 80 severe malnutrition cases among children in northern Gaza, double previous figures.Furthermore, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that medical supplies in hospitals are critically low, compounded by a lack of fuel that hinders water production and distribution. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that Gaza has reached a "grim" moment, underscoring the urgent need for the blockade to end to save lives.The humanitarian crisis is intensified by staggering price increases of essential commodities, soaring as high as 1,400% compared to pre-blockade levels. Families are struggling to meet basic needs, with reports indicating that individuals are bartering goods or selling their possessions for cash to access dwindling food supplies. The director of WFP in Gaza, Antoine Renard, underscored the critical role of hot meal kitchens, which are currently only servicing half the population's daily food requirements.In response to international outcry against the blockade, the Israeli foreign ministry dismissed claims of aid shortages, citing the entry of significant aid during the ceasefire. However, it denied responsibility for the blockade, accusing Hamas of diverting supplies for military use.As diplomatic tensions rise and a new ceasefire proposal is rejected by Hamas, those under siege in Gaza face an increasingly desperate situation, leading humanitarian experts to warn that without immediate action to allow aid delivery, the WFP's life-saving efforts may collapse entirely.
