Palestinian children wait to receive food from a soup kitchen funded by the World Food Programme (WFP), in Deir Al-Balah
Nearly all of Gaza’s 2.1 million residents remain displaced, and around two-thirds depend on food aid to survive. The WFP said it had received less than half the funding for its Palestinian operations in 2026 compared with previous years and urgently needed $450 million to maintain critical operations over the next six months. More than 80% of people in Gaza are unemployed, according to the report.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced major cuts to food assistance in Gaza due to funding shortages, reducing the number of people it supports from 1.6 million to 1.1 million as winter approaches and families continue to struggle with hunger.
Families receiving assistance told the BBC that existing rations were already insufficient. Dalal al-Dahdouh, who lives with her family of eight in the ruins of their home in Gaza City, said the flour and food boxes provided by the WFP were not enough and warned that further cuts would have a major impact. widespread unemployment has left many families unable to afford supplies Although food markets are now better stocked.
The number of people receiving flour bags and food ration boxes will also fall from 1.1 million to 600,000 each month. The reductions come after cash assistance for around half a million people had already been cut since July.