The United Nations World Food Program announced a significant reduction in humanitarian assistance across Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, citing severe financial constraints. The agency will cut food support in the West Bank from 400,000 beneficiaries to 200,000 beginning this month, while in Gaza it has already reduced cash assistance values by 40% for hundreds of thousands of people in recent months.
The WFP spokesperson indicated that funding deficits are forcing difficult choices about which populations can receive aid. The agency stated it requires an additional $386 million over the next six months to serve approximately 2 million food-insecure individuals across both territories. According to the organization, economic conditions have deteriorated significantly, compounded by increased violence, displacement, and loss of access to agricultural resources and livestock.
In the West Bank specifically, the WFP estimates 900,000 people face food insecurity, with 76% of households experiencing substantial income declines. Food and fuel prices remain exceptionally high compared to regional standards, and rural areas along with the southern West Bank are experiencing the most acute hardship. The agency noted that families previously self-sufficient through agricultural work now struggle to afford adequate nutrition.
Humanitarian conditions in Gaza similarly remain dire, with recent data indicating approximately one in five families consuming only a single meal daily and half reporting complete food depletion in recent weeks. Market access has become severely restricted, with three-quarters of households unable to reach commercial centers in August. Despite a ceasefire agreement signed in October 2025, ongoing security restrictions and infrastructure damage continue to impede aid distribution and recovery initiatives, the U.N. reported.
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