The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday of a serious decline in vital supplies in the Gaza Strip following a complete blockade imposed by Israel. Brian Lander, Deputy Chief of Emergency at the WFP in Rome, stated, "It is a horrific situation in Gaza that we are witnessing develop with limited supplies of food and water running out rapidly." Lander noted in an interview with Reuters that "the WFP is on the ground responding, and we are providing food to thousands of people who have taken refuge in schools and other areas in the region. But what we have will run out very soon." He added, "People looking for shelter and struggling to survive in this environment will face worsening conditions over time."
He urged both Israel and Egypt to provide safe passages for the WFP to enable the entry of supplies to Gaza and ensure that UN staff can work safely in the area. Lander remarked, "We have seen a number of sites that are considered humanitarian, or medical centers and schools, being bombed. Therefore, we again call on the parties to the conflict to adhere to the obligations of international humanitarian law."
The International Committee of the Red Cross also stated on Thursday that hospital generator fuel in Gaza would run out soon and that its stock of aid and medicines within Gaza is inaccessible due to the lack of a safe passage. Alongside the border closure, the Israeli army has also conducted heavy airstrikes on the region, forcing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee their homes. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported that 11 of its staff members have been killed in the conflict so far. Lander expressed, "It is a tragic loss, and we extend our condolences to their families."
In normal times, the WFP provides direct food assistance to approximately 350,000 Palestinians each month and also supports nearly one million people in cooperation with other humanitarian aid partners through cash transfers. In a report released in 2023, UN agencies stated that 58% of Gaza's population needs humanitarian assistance and that 29% of families in Gaza are living in harsh or catastrophic conditions, compared to 10% in 2022.
