The World Food Programme (WFP) is being forced to significantly reduce its food assistance in the Gaza Strip due to funding shortages. The UN agency announced that the number of people it helps will drop by approximately a third, from 1.6 million to 1.1 million.
These cuts come as winter approaches, at a time when many families in Gaza are already struggling to feed themselves. The number of hot meals provided daily by community kitchens will decrease from 250,000 to 150,000. Families in hard-to-reach areas, such as near the Yellow Line, will now receive a meal every other day instead of daily.
Shaun Hughes, the WFP's Palestine director, stated that the reductions are solely due to financial constraints, not a decrease in need or access. Since July, cash transfers to about half a million people have already been reduced, limiting their ability to purchase food locally. The number of Gazans receiving bags of flour and ration boxes from the WFP will now fall from 1.1 million to 600,000 each month.
The WFP received less than half the funding for its Palestinian operations in 2026 compared to previous years. The agency requires $450m (£338m) urgently to continue its critical operations over the next six months.
Despite a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel agreed a year ago, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain severe. Over 80% of the population is unemployed, with most relying on aid. The Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) reported in July that 1.4 million people are expected to face crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity between July and December 2026.