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Foreign food assistance

Gaza Food Supplies Ramping Up, but Still Fall Short of Daily Target

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that food supplies into Gaza are increasing, but still significantly below the daily target of 2,000 tons. The current daily supply is around 750 metric tons, which is barely sufficient to meet the needs of the population, particularly in the famine-hit north of the enclave. The WFP is urging the reopening of all entry points to enable full-scale humanitarian aid to reach the affected areas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US-brokered ceasefire plan aims to send "full aid" into Gaza, but the current supply of 750 metric tons per day is still far below the WFP's daily target of 2,000 tons.
  • Only two of the Israeli-controlled crossings into Gaza, Kerem Shalom and Kissufim, are operational, limiting the scale of aid that can be delivered.
  • The WFP's spokesperson, Abeer Etefa, stressed the need to use every available crossing point to meet the scale of needs, which are substantial after two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas.
  • The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt remains closed until Hamas hands over the bodies of deceased hostages, as announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
  • The UN children's agency spokesperson, Ricardo Pires, called for the reopening of all entry points to enable a full-scale humanitarian response.
  • Some nutrition supplies for children and pregnant women have reached the north via the south, but are far short of the required level.
  • Food supplies delivered so far are enough to feed around 500,000 people for two weeks, but many Gazans are rationing the supplies they receive, fearing that aid might again dry up.

Statistics:

  • 750 metric tons of food enter the Gaza Strip daily (WFP)
  • 2,000 tons of food per day is the WFP's daily target (WFP)
  • 14,000 people daily would be fed by the required 2,000 tons of food (based on 500,000 people for 2 weeks)
  • Two years of conflict between Israel and Hamas have left much of Gaza in ruins (WFP)
  • The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has been closed since (Benjamin Netanyahu)
  • Food supplies delivered so far are enough to feed around 500,000 people for two weeks (Abeer Etefa)

Sources:

  • Abeer Etefa, WFP spokesperson (interview)
  • UN World Food Programme (report)
  • Ricardo Pires, UN children's agency spokesperson (interview)
  • Donald Trump, US President (plan for ceasefire)
  • Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister (statement on Rafah crossing)

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