WFP slashes food aid in Gaza by one-third amid severe funding crisis

The United Nations World Food Programme announced Monday it has slashed food assistance in Gaza by nearly one third due to a severe funding crisis. This decision leaves approximately half a million Palestinians without support as hunger threatens families devastated by war. The agency stated that beneficiary numbers fell from 1.6 million in September to 1.1 million in October.

WFP warned that limited improvements in food security remain fragile and could disappear as humanitarian funding declines. The agency halved food parcels, leaving households with one basket instead of two. Wheat flour allocations were reduced while daily hot meal distributions dropped from 250,000 to 150,000. In hard to reach areas, meals are now distributed every other day.

Mohammad Salha, Director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network, reported a sharp drop in aid truck entries through Israeli controlled border crossings. He confirmed monthly counts plummeted from 2,182 trucks in August to 1,244 in September. Salha emphasized that over 95 percent of the population depends directly on humanitarian aid after losing incomes and homes during the conflict.

Gaza’s Ministry of Social Development cautioned that local social safety nets face total collapse following the announcement. The ministry stated the cuts will impact tens of thousands of impoverished households and trigger severe spikes in acute malnutrition. Local emergency committees cannot bridge the gap due to food shortages and fuel depletion, forcing several charity kitchens to shut down permanently.

The agency is urgently seeking $450 million to sustain lifesaving assistance between October 2026 and March 2027. WFP noted that unemployment exceeds 80 percent, depriving households of income needed to buy nutritious foods. With colder months approaching, displaced Palestinians in damaged buildings and tents face additional challenges in securing adequate food and protecting their families from worsening conditions.