UN Food Programme Urges More Aid to Combat Gaza Starvation

More food aid is reaching Gaza, but it remains insufficient to avert widespread starvation, according to Cindy McCain, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP). In a video interview from Jerusalem on August 28, McCain emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “We’re getting a little bit more food in. We’re moving in the right direction… but it’s not nearly enough to do what we need to do to make sure that people are not malnourished and not starving.”

Currently, the WFP is managing to deliver approximately 100 aid trucks a day into Gaza, a stark contrast to the 600 trucks daily during a two-month ceasefire that concluded in mid-March. The Israeli military’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) reported that over 300 humanitarian trucks are entering Gaza daily, predominantly carrying food supplies.

WFP Calls for Increased Humanitarian Access

During her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, McCain discussed ways to accelerate and sustain the flow of humanitarian goods into Gaza. Both parties acknowledged the need for increased efforts. The WFP’s recent report highlighted alarming figures: approximately 514,000 people—nearly a quarter of Gaza’s population—are currently facing famine conditions, with projections suggesting this number could rise to 641,000 by the end of September.

Israel has contested the findings of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), labeling them as biased and “deeply flawed.” Israeli officials argue that the data is derived from partial information provided by Hamas and does not adequately reflect recent food deliveries.

During her visit to areas like Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, McCain observed “utter devastation” and spoke to individuals suffering from severe hunger and malnutrition. “It proved my point that we need to be able to get deep into Gaza so we can make sure that they consistently have what they need,” she stated. McCain urged Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the Israeli military chief, for unrestricted access and more secure routes for aid trucks, advocating for guarantees to minimize delays.

A military statement affirmed Israel’s commitment to preventing famine and facilitating humanitarian aid deliveries to Gazans. Although some commercial food imports have contributed to lower prices, many residents still struggle to afford sufficient food.

Human Cost of Food Insecurity

At a soup kitchen in Gaza City, 52-year-old Sami al-Ashram expressed his dire situation. “I ask the people in charge of aid to increase the aid so that we can eat and live. Some rice is not enough for us,” he lamented. The Gaza health ministry reported that, as of Wednesday, ten additional individuals had succumbed to malnutrition and starvation, raising the total since October 2023 to 313 deaths, including 119 children. Israel disputes these figures, calling them inaccurate.

The IPC has sounded the alarm that the risk of famine could extend to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of the month. McCain characterized the IPC report as the “gold standard” for assessing food insecurity, underscoring the critical need for immediate action to address the crisis in Gaza. As the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, the international community faces mounting pressure to respond effectively and urgently to the looming threat of widespread hunger.