Published: 01:50 AM, 22 November 2025
'Food supply improving in Gaza'
Palestinians wait to receive food from a charity kitchen in Gaza City on Aug 28. -Reuters
More food supplies are getting into Gaza since the October ceasefire but are still falling short of huge humanitarian needs as winter rains risk spoiling delivered foodstuffs, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Nov 21.
"Things are better than before the ceasefire, but we have a long way to go. Sustained support is an important endeavour to help families rebuild their health, their nutrition and their lives," WFP spokesperson Martin Penner told reporters in Geneva via video link from the Gaza Strip, Reuters reports.
Hundreds of thousands of people remain in urgent need of food assistance, according to the WFP. In August a global food monitor said at least half a million people were experiencing famine in parts of the coastal enclave.
Earlier this week, Gaza was hit by heavy rain that spoiled and washed away some food supplies that residents had been storing, senior WFP spokeswoman Abeer Etefa said. It was a sign of the challenges for families as winter sets in, she added.
Since a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire took effect on Oct 10 after two years of war that demolished much of the highly urbanised territory and caused a humanitarian disaster, the WFP has brought 40,000 tonnes of food aid into Gaza.
But it has met only 30 per cent of its target for food parcels - reaching around 530,000 out of 1.6 million people, due to logistical issues getting supplies into the enclave earlier in November. However, it said it is now starting to catch up.
Though Gaza's markets are reviving, food prices remain high for Palestinians, many of whom lost their income during the war, with a chicken costing US$25 (S$32), meaning many are reliant on food aid, the WFP said.
