Following the recent ceasefire in Gaza, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has resumed food distributions across the region, reaching families through bakeries, nutritional programs, digital payments, and family food boxes. Since 11 October, WFP has dispatched over 280 trucks—nearly 3,000 metric tons—supporting bakeries, nutrition initiatives, and general food distributions. Early on 21 October, 57 trucks carrying aid arrived safely at WFP and partners’ warehouses. Most cargo has already reached intended destinations, ensuring bakeries remain operational, partners are supplied, and warehouses replenished. In addition, WFP has facilitated the offloading of 216 trucks at border crossings for other humanitarian organizations.
WFP has restarted food parcel distributions at five sites, serving nearly 8,500 people with nutritious items such as rice, lentils, beans, chickpea paste, tomato paste, and fortified sunflower oil. Plans are underway to restore the full distribution network through 145 points across Gaza as access allows. Since 4 October, nine bakeries in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis have produced over 100,000 bread bundles daily, distributed across more than 230 sites. In October, WFP has provided nutritional support to 23,000 people and treated 1,200 pregnant and breastfeeding women affected by malnutrition. Digital payments have reached over 50,000 households, with a target of 200,000 by month’s end, enabling families to purchase food and essentials locally. Nutritional snacks are also being provided to children in temporary learning centers established by UNICEF.
WFP is working to clear and rehabilitate key roads in Gaza ahead of the expected opening of additional border crossings, including routes between Gaza City, Erez, and Zikim. Preparations at Rafah and potential facilitation from Ashdod are expected to increase aid flow. WFP currently has 170,000 metric tons of food either in the region or en route, with nearly 60,000 metric tons ready for immediate dispatch to scale assistance to 1.6 million people over the next three months.
Operational challenges remain significant. Only two crossings into Gaza are currently operational, limiting the flow of aid, while roads are blocked or destroyed, impeding transport. Damage to infrastructure has reduced warehousing capacity by more than 50 percent. Overall, the quantity of nutritious food entering Gaza is still insufficient to meet urgent needs. Effective delivery at scale requires restored law and order, fully opened entry points—including Zikim, Erez, Kerem Shalom, and Kissufim—and expanded logistics, telecommunications, fuel, and road repair capacity.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire after two years of war, a two-month blockade, and prolonged shortages of food. Many families are still unable to meet their basic needs, and recent returns to northern Gaza—over 300,000 people—have largely found homes in ruins. Most displaced households remain in the south, living in tents with limited access to food and services. While expectations of food inflows following the ceasefire have temporarily reduced prices, liquidity constraints persist, with cash withdrawal fees between 20 and 24 percent, compounding challenges for households trying to access food.
Related Posts
