World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Despite the end of an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation there remains dire, says the representative of the World Food Programme (WFP) in the occupied Palestinian territory. “There is a misconception that because there is a period of calm, we can start thinking about a development process, which is very difficult to do when they are under occupation,” Pablo Recalde said at a press conference.

UN agencies are sounding the alarm on the humanitarian impact of the on-going violence. (..) “We are deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza and will continue to assist the most vulnerable households, many of whom have been affected by the violence,” said WFP’s Country Director in the occupied Palestinian territories, Pablo Recalde. (..) However, access to Gaza is challenging even under normal circumstances, noted the agency, which is concerned about its ability to continue reaching those in need should the conflict escalate.

As demolition orders continue to threaten the work of humanitarian organizations in Israeli-controlled Area C in the West Bank, the European Union (EU) and humanitarian agencies are pressing to change the rules of the aid game.

At a glance, the latest data on post-assistance food security in the West Bank and Gaza Strip - released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) last week - seems to warrant optimism. 

Palestinian communities in the West Bank have expressed alarm at widely reported news that Israel will resume the construction of its “separation wall” after a five-year delay. 

When mortar shells slammed into Yarmouk, Syria’s largest Palestinian camp, in early August, killing at least 20 people, many Palestinians in Syria saw it as a wake-up call. 

Polluted water in the Gaza Strip is seriously affecting people’s health and the situation looks set to get worse, the UN warns in a new report.

Israel says it has allowed the export of goods from Gaza to the West Bank for the first time in five years. (..) The military has authorised the transfer of at least 13 lorry loads of date bars in the next few days. (..) The World Food Programme asked for the move to feed Palestinian children.

The huge amount of money spent on aid wouldn't be needed if the international community pressed Israel to lift the blockade and respect international law, and pushed for a political solution (..) Another example of the multiple restrictions are the procedures demanded by the Israelis for the delivery of food supplies to Gaza, which cost the World Food Programme and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) $4m per year.