World Food Programme stops provision to half a million people in Gaza over lack of funding

The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that it is ending food aid for more than 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza due to lack of funding. The news comes despite the fact that the large majority of Gaza's population currently rely on food aid. "As of this month, we're now cutting half a million people from the number of people that we're assisting," Shaun Hughes, the WFP country director, told AFP. The reduction will mean that 1.1 million Palestinians would be receiving WFP aid either in food or cash assistance. In addition to widespread food insecurity, Israel has continued to launch attacks on the besieged enclave. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters At least five people were killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza in the last 24 hours, the territory's health ministry reported. The death toll of Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza has reached at least 74,480, with another 175,539 wounded, the ministry reports. It stated that at least 1,552 Palestinians have been killed and 5,421 wounded by Israel since the so-called "ceasefire" was implemented. Israel’s starvation of Gaza leaves children stunted Read More » Additionally emergency teams recovered 839 bodies from under the rubble. "People are not safe. Air strikes continue on a daily basis. People continue to be displaced," said Hughes. "Almost everybody remains without a permanent home to live in. And the humanitarian conditions are brutal." The UN's Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said in August last year that Gaza was suffering famine conditions. The famine classification was lifted in December, two months after a US-brokered ceasefire was announced in Gaza. The ceasefire, which has been violated thousands of times by Israel, has allowed the WFP to step up assistance which had allowed it to reach between 1.5 million and 1.8 million people every month. Copyright © 2014 - 2026 . Middle East Eye. All rights reserved. Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters. Middle East Eye ISSN 2634-2456