The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced this week that by June 200,000 people – 60 percent of the people the agency assists in Palestine – will no longer be receiving food assistance due to a severe funding shortage. By August, WFP will be forced to completely suspend operations in the West Bank and Gaza if no funding is received.
In May, the lack of funding forced the UN agency to reduce the value of its cash assistance by around 20 percent, to US$10.3 per person. WFP urgently needs US$51 million to maintain its life-saving food and cash assistance in Palestine until the end of the year.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures. We have no option but to stretch the limited resources we have to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable families are met. They will go hungry without food assistance,” said Samer Abdeljaber, WFP Representative and Country Director in Palestine, in a statement Thursday.
“These are difficult choices, but we have already exhausted all options to stretch the funding that we have. We are grateful for the constant support that we received from donors over the years, but needs are growing, and resources are not meeting these needs.”
Vulnerable families in Gaza and the West Bank have been pushed to the limits by the combined effects of growing insecurity, a deteriorating economy, and the rising cost of living that is driving food insecurity up. Due to the steep rise in food prices and the constant instability, even the most basic needs have become unattainable, leaving 1.84 million Palestinians – 35 percent of the population – food insecure.
WFP said the situation is particularly dire in Gaza, where unemployment rates stand at 45.3 percent and two out of every three people struggle to afford to put food on the table. Over the past year, most families have been unable to cope in the face of global food price increases, accelerated by the conflict in Ukraine. In 2022, food prices in Palestine reached their highest in six years.
The development comes as the Israeli government and Palestinian militants are in yet another cycle of violence. On Saturday, hostilities between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza continued for the fifth consecutive day, resulting in further casualties and damage to property, and further worsening the humanitarian situation. The continued escalation of hostilities in Gaza deepens civilian suffering and increases the risk of the number of casualties both in Gaza and Israel.
According to the UN human rights office (OHCHR), as of May 13, 34 Palestinian have been killed by Israeli armed forces, including at least 13 civilians, six members of armed groups, and 15 people whose status is yet to be confirmed. Among the 13 civilians were seven children, four women and two men.
According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, 147 Palestinians, including 48 children and 26 women, were injured since May 9. OHCHR has verified that one Israeli woman was killed by rocket fire. In Israel, at least 37 people have received medical treatment for physical injuries, alongside people treated for shock.
The ongoing hostilities are also having a negative impact on an already difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the ongoing exchange of fire has taken a severe toll on the mental health of people, particularly children, who are living in a constant state of fear and panic.
The Israeli crossings with Gaza were closed for the fifth consecutive day. Fuel reserves were being quickly depleted, forcing the Gaza Power Plant, which relies on regular imports of fuel from Israel, to reduce its operations. This has affected the provision of basic services including water, sanitation and health. Food supply trucks of the World Food Programme were ready and on standby, but could not be dispatched from Israel into Gaza.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has continued with essential services relating to food distribution, health services, sanitation services, solid waste transfer to landfills and water wells. However, all UNRWA schools remain closed.
On Saturday, the Israeli government and the Islamic Jihad militant group in the Gaza Strip reportedly agreed to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire to end five days of ongoing violence. The truce took effect shortly after 10:00 p.m.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza and Israel on Sunday.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries, including children and women, from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and the indiscriminate firing of rockets toward Israel by Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other militant groups. Deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the violence and their loved ones”, Torland said.
The UN Special Coordinator commended Egypt for its efforts to help restore calm and called on all sides to observe the ceasefire.
“I look forward to the immediate restoration of humanitarian access and all social and economic measures to support Palestinian livelihoods in Gaza”, Torland added.
Further information
Full text: WFP operations in Palestine risk suspension due to funding shortfall, WFP press release, May 11, 2023
https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-operations-palestine-risk-suspension-due-funding-shortfall
Full text: Humanitarian situation in Gaza | OCHA Flash Update #4 as of 17:00, 13 May 2023, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, May 13, 2023
https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/humanitarian-situation-gaza-flash-update-4-1700-13-may-2023
Full text: Statement by UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, on the ceasefire in Gaza and Israel, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, May 14, 2023
https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/statement-un-special-coordinator-middle-east-peace-process-tor-wennesland-ceasefire-gaza-and-israel14-may-2023