The UN World Food Programme has been forced to drastically cut vital aid in the Gaza Strip due to a funding shortfall, reports BBC World, citing the WFP. According to these figures, the number of people covered by the agency’s programmes will fall from 1.6 million to 1.1 million, whilst the number of hot meals provided by community kitchens will drop from 250,000 to 150,000 per day.
Briefly about the main points
- According to the BBC, the WFP is set to reduce the number of people receiving food aid from 1.6 million to 1.1 million.
- According to the WFP, community kitchens will be preparing 100,000 fewer meals each day.
- According to the BBC, the WFP requires $450 million for critical operations over the next six months.
- The IPC had forecast a critical or even worse food shortage for 1.4 million residents of Gaza.
Which programmes is the WFP cutting back on?
According to the WFP, in hard-to-reach areas near the so-called Yellow Line, hot meals may be distributed every other day rather than daily. The Yellow Line marks the area under Israeli military control, where humanitarian logistics are more challenging.
According to the BBC, since July The WFP has also cut cash transfers to around 500,000 people. The number of residents who will receive flour and food parcels each month is set to fall from 1.1 million to 600,000.
The Palestinian Director of the WFP Sean Hughes He told the BBC that the decision was specifically linked to funding, rather than a reduction in needs or access issues. According to the broadcaster, the programme requires $450 million, or £338 million, to maintain critical operations over the next six months.
Food insecurity is already affecting millions of people
According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) forecast, between July and December 2026, more than 1.4 million people in Gaza – or 67% of the population – may face a crisis or worse acute food insecurity. In mid-April to June, the number of people in need was estimated at 1.2 million.
IPC Level 3, or «crisis», means that households are experiencing significant gaps in their food intake or are forced to adopt strategies that undermine their ability to sustain themselves in the future. This differs from the highest level, IPC 5, which is used to classify a disaster or famine.
Management UN The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that financial constraints and a further reduction in humanitarian aid could undo the improvements in food security that have been achieved.
Why the availability of goods in the markets does not solve the problem
At the end of July, OCHA, citing the WFP, reported a slight fall in prices for some food items; however, 77% of the households surveyed were finding it difficult to access markets. Among the main reasons cited were a lack of cash and the unavailability of basic foodstuffs at affordable prices.
In July, 73% of the households surveyed reported that they had used burnt rubbish as an alternative fuel for cooking. OCHA had previously recorded an acute shortage of cooking gas, which hampered the operation of community kitchens and made daily life difficult for families.
Improvements following the ceasefire remain fragile
The IPC and OCHA noted some improvement in humanitarian access and the food situation following the ceasefire announced in October 2025. At the same time, both organisations assessed these changes as fragile and dependent on continuous supplies and humanitarian funding.
According to the BBC, the WFP plans to continue supporting bakeries, as well as nutrition programmes for women and children. However, cuts to other forms of aid could quickly increase the pressure on families who do not have enough money to buy food for themselves.
