WFP urges full access as Gaza food aid falls short of needs

The World Food Programme (WFP) said Tuesday that food deliveries to Gaza have increased since the ceasefire but remain far below the agency's target of 2,000 tons per day, warning that limited access through border crossings continues to hinder efforts to reach people facing hunger, particularly in the north.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa said more than 530 trucks have entered Gaza since the ceasefire, carrying around 6,700 tons of food, enough to feed half a million people for two weeks.

She said the agency is currently delivering around 750 tons of food daily, up from pre-ceasefire levels but "still well below" its target of 2,000 tons a day needed to meet the population's needs.

WFP has expanded its network from five to 26 active distribution points, mostly in southern and central Gaza, and is working to reopen more as conditions allow, with the target of reaching 145.

Etefa said the agency made one distribution in the north, referring to a small delivery of nutrition supplements and snacks for pregnant and nursing mothers and malnourished children, though access to the north and Gaza City remains extremely limited.

She highlighted the growing demand at distribution centers, where "women, elderly people, and female-headed households" are prioritized. The agency also continued to supply fresh bread daily through nine bakeries, with plans to expand to 30 once more wheat flour is delivered.

According to the spokesperson, market prices are gradually declining in Gaza as more supplies enter, but food remains "largely out of reach" for most people as they are still "extremely expensive." The WFP has begun distributing digital vouchers to 50,000 people, allowing them to purchase fresh food in markets, she said, adding: "The plan is to reach 200,000 people, that's about 10% of Gaza's population, the most vulnerable."

The WFP spokesperson urged the opening of all border crossings, stressing that operations currently depend on the Karam Shalom and Kissufim crossings, which cannot serve northern Gaza.

"Sustaining the ceasefire is vital," she said. "It's the only way we can save lives and push back on the famine in the north."