The situation in Gaza is once again getting worse as the Zionist Nazis are cutting back food getting into Gaza
Shaimaa Marwan is a journalist based in Gaza.
Photo: World Central kitchen
The suspension and scaling back of operations by the World Central Kitchen (WCK) in the Gaza Strip has sparked widespread anger among displaced people, as the hundreds of thousands of free meals provided by the organization had served as a lifeline for thousands of families who lost their sources of income and their homes during the war.
As the decision to scale back operations, which began to take effect in mid-May, enters a new phase, fears are mounting that hunger will spread even further across the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian estimates indicate that approximately 1.6 million Palestinians, around 77% of the population, are facing acute levels of food insecurity.
“The Beginning of Famine“
In a shelter school in Gaza City, Um Iyad Abu Lebda, 50, lives with her family of seven after an Israeli airstrike destroyed their home in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood.
Abu Lebda says her family relied almost entirely on the meals provided by World Central Kitchen, explaining that her husband is ill and unable to work or even leave in search of food.
She adds, “Life was more bearable when meals arrived every day. They were our main source of food. Now, I feel that we are witnessing the beginning of a real famine.”
Since the meals stopped, one of her sons has spent each day moving between displacement camps and shelters searching for any food distributed by charitable kitchens, hoping to secure a meal that can ease the hunger of his siblings and other family members.
Shock Across the Camps””
World Central Kitchen had announced the suspension of a large portion of its food operations in Gaza due to the depletion of essential supplies and fuel, along with growing difficulties in bringing aid into the territory and the financial pressures facing the organization. More than 500 employees working within its programs in Gaza were also laid off unexpectedly.
As a result, the number of daily meals distributed dropped sharply from around one million meals per day to approximately 200,000, directly affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of residents who depend on food assistance to survive.
At a displacement camp in Gaza’s seaport area, Mehran Sbeih, who was displaced from the Ezbet Beit Hanoun area in northern Gaza, oversees the conditions of around 90 families living in 80 tents.
Sbeih describes the humanitarian situation, saying: “Those who have money can buy food, but those who do not go to sleep hungry along with their children. We keep hearing about border crossings reopening in the media, but what we see on the ground is a severe shortage of food and basic necessities.”
He adds that most families in the camp are no longer able to meet their daily needs due to soaring prices and the decline in humanitarian aid.
Hunger and Loss of Food Sources
In Al-Maqousi camp west of Gaza City, Shadi Al-Balawi, 33, is living under similar conditions. He was injured during the war and had one of his legs amputated, leaving him unable to work or move easily, while he supports four children.
Al-Balawi says, “We used to rely completely on the meals provided by the kitchen. Today, I don’t know what to tell my children when they ask for food. I have no money to buy food, cooking gas is not available, and even firewood, which we use as an alternative, has become scarce and expensive.”
He confirms that his family has been deprived of food rations for days, warning that the continued situation could lead to rising rates of malnutrition and disease among children.
He adds, “My children are already suffering from anemia and exhaustion, and with the ongoing shortage of food we fear their health conditions will worsen further.”
Al-Balawi called on World Central Kitchen to reconsider its decision and resume meal distribution, increasing the quantities allocated to affected families. He also urged donor agencies and international organizations to continue supporting relief programs, foremost among them UNRWA.
His suffering is not much different from that of thousands of families in Gaza, who have lost one of their main sources of free food at a time when humanitarian aid is declining and access to food is becoming increasingly difficult.
UN Warnings
On the other hand, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that funding shortages are forcing humanitarian partners in Gaza to reduce or suspend essential services.
The office noted that funding for the humanitarian response plan in Gaza and the West Bank has reached only 15% of the estimated $4.1 billion required, threatening the continuity of relief programs and vital services.
UN data also shows that the number of daily meals distributed in the Strip has declined to around 678,000 meals, compared to 1.5 million meals per day in mid-March.
Although the ceasefire agreement stipulated the entry of 600 aid trucks per day into Gaza under the humanitarian protocol, relief organizations confirm that the actual quantities that have entered remain far below the growing needs of the population.
With widespread displacement continuing and more than two million Palestinians relying on humanitarian assistance, fears are mounting that reduced funding and shrinking relief programs will push more families into deeper levels of hunger and deprivation, at a time when no near-term improvement in the humanitarian situation appears in sight.
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