ROME: The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) issued a dire warning on Tuesday, stating that the population of Gaza, particularly women and children, faces a high risk of famine if humanitarian food supplies are not consistently provided. The alert comes amidst a fragile truce between Israel and Hamas, which was extended by two days on Monday.
Since the initiation of a four-day truce between Israel and Hamas last Friday, the WFP has delivered food to 121,161 people in Gaza. Taking advantage of the temporary pause in hostilities, the WFP’s teams have accessed areas that were difficult to reach for an extended period. However, the situation on the ground has been described as catastrophic by Corinne Fleischer, WFP’s director for the Middle East.
Urgent Food Supplies Need in Gaza
The WFP emphasized that the six-day truce was insufficient to make a meaningful impact, expressing the need for uninterrupted and regular supplies of food in Gaza. The agency estimates a “high risk of famine” for the population, especially vulnerable groups like women and children, if continued access to food is not ensured.
Since the start of the crisis, WFP has reached 759,082 people in Gaza with food and vouchers. The ongoing conflict, which began on October 7, Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel. In response, Israel launched a brutal campaign of airstrikes and ground operations in the Gaza Strip. Almost 15,000 Palestinian people, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Israeli attacks.
