West Bank food needs more than doubled since 2023 as U.N. halves its reach due to funding shortages
The United Nations’ food agency said Tuesday it is halving food assistance in the Israeli-occupied West Bank because of severe funding shortages and warned it may be forced to make further cuts in Gaza, where it supports 1.5 million people.
TL;DR
- UN World Food Program is halving food assistance in the West Bank, affecting 200,000 people starting this month.
- Further cuts are threatened in Gaza, where 1.5 million people are supported, after cash assistance was already reduced.
- The agency requires an additional $386 million over six months to meet the needs of 2 million food-insecure people in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Increased violence, displacement, and economic deterioration have doubled food needs in the West Bank since 2023.
- 76% of West Bank households have seen a significant income decline, and one-third cannot afford a nutritious diet.
- Humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain severe, with many families experiencing food shortages and difficulty accessing markets.