The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) issued a stark warning on March 27, stating that Gaza has only two weeks’ worth of food supplies remaining. The agency emphasized that “hundreds of thousands of people” in the region are facing the threat of severe hunger and malnutrition due to the dwindling resources.
According to the Rome-based WFP, there are approximately 5,700 tons of food left in Gaza, which is enough to sustain operations for a maximum of two weeks. The announcement comes amidst the renewed Israeli military operations, which began just over a week ago and ended a period of relative calm following a fragile ceasefire.
The United Nations also reported on March 26 that Israel’s military resurgence has displaced 142,000 people within just seven days. The situation has been exacerbated by Israel’s decision to block humanitarian aid from entering Gaza. The WFP confirmed on March 27 that for over three weeks, food aid organizations have been unable to bring in new food supplies due to ongoing restrictions.
“Hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are at risk of severe hunger and malnutrition as humanitarian food stocks continue to dwindle and borders remain closed,” the WFP said. The agency also highlighted that the ongoing military activity is severely disrupting food distribution efforts, further endangering the lives of aid workers.
The WFP outlined its response to the crisis, stating that it would focus on distributing as much food as possible, as quickly as possible, despite the challenging circumstances. To extend the reach of limited supplies, the organization has reduced individual rations and plans to distribute food parcels to half a million people, each providing enough for one week’s worth of sustenance for a family.
Israeli officials have stated that the renewed military operations aim to pressure Hamas, which controls Gaza, into releasing the hostages still held in the region. Following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which sparked the ongoing conflict, 58 hostages remain in Gaza, including 34 who are reported to be deceased, according to the Israeli military. The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,218 Israelis, mostly civilians.
In retaliation, Israel’s military offensive has claimed the lives of at least 50,208 people in Gaza, the majority of whom are also civilians, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry. The humanitarian situation continues to worsen as the conflict persists.
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