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ROME - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched an emergency operation to provide critical food assistance to over 800,000 people in Gaza and the West Bank who are facing dire circumstances, lacking access to food, water, and essential supplies.
WFP calls for the establishment of humanitarian corridors to facilitate the entry of aid and humanitarian assistance into Gaza and appeals for the safe and unobstructed passage for its staff and essential commodities.
WFP urgently requires access and funding to reach those in need. A total of US$17.3 million is needed in the next four weeks to address this critical situation.
An update from Palestine where WFP is rapidly expanding the distribution of emergency food assistance:
- On Monday, WFP together with UNRWA, has distributed ready-to-eat food to 73,000 people. Distributions are ongoing daily for displaced people in shelters in Gaza, amid concerns that the city is running out of critical resources like food, water, and electricity, with damaged infrastructure severely impeding both food production and distribution networks.
- WFP is also starting the distribution of cash-based transfers to 164,000 people in Gaza and the West Bank. Electronic vouchers can be redeemed on food items in local shops. WFP is concerned about availability of food in local shops as supplies are running out.
- In the next few days, pending the replenishment of food stocks through the opening of humanitarian corridors, WFP will distribute food to 300,000 people in host communities and make available cash-based-platforms to humanitarian partners.
- All borders and check points between the West Bank and Gaza are closed, which is further exacerbating the crisis by preventing much-needed assistance from entering.
