The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) declared on Friday it has exhausted all remaining food supplies in Gaza, where border closures have blocked humanitarian and commercial aid for over seven weeks the longest such shutdown recorded in the territory.
Community kitchens, the sole consistent food source for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in recent weeks, will deplete their stocks within days, accelerating a catastrophic hunger crisis, the agency warned.
In a statement, the WFP said it distributed its final food reserves to 125 subsidized kitchens, which currently serve approximately half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents. These rations meet just 25% of daily nutritional needs, a sharp decline from earlier support levels. “These kitchens are a lifeline, but the lifeline is snapping,” the agency noted, adding that malnutrition rates among children under five in northern Gaza have reached 31%. The collapse follows the closure of all 25 WFP-supported bakeries on March 31 after flour and fuel supplies ran out, compounded by the exhaustion of family food parcels designed to last two weeks.
No aid shipments have entered Gaza since Israel halted deliveries on March 2, citing security concerns, while military operations resumed on March 18. The prolonged shutdown of key crossings, including Rafah and Kerem Shalom, has paralyzed markets already weakened by a 17-year blockade and recurrent conflict. Farmers lack seeds, fishermen face naval restrictions, and staple food prices have tripled since February, according to local reports.
The crisis underscores a broader breakdown of Gaza’s humanitarian infrastructure. Hospitals report rising cases of starvation-related illnesses, while families increasingly rely on foraged herbs and expired stocks. UN officials estimate Gaza requires at least 500 aid trucks daily to meet basic needs, a threshold last met in early 2023. Diplomatic efforts to reopen crossings remain stalled, with Egypt, Israel, and Hamas failing to agree on security terms for aid transit.
Historically, mediators such as Qatar or Egypt have brokered compromises during past aid impasses. Current negotiations, however, are deadlocked over ceasefire conditions and hostage exchanges. While international pressure mounts on Israel to permit aid, logistical challenges mean even immediate border reopenings would require weeks to stabilize supply chains. The European Union’s aid coordinator this week described the situation as “a man-made famine in fast motion,” echoing concerns from global relief organizations.
Gaza’s food systems, strained by decades of conflict and restrictions, now face near-total collapse. The WFP emphasized that prolonged closures risk irreversible damage to a population grappling with displacement and trauma. With no political resolution in sight, the territory confronts a starvation crisis defined not by resource scarcity but by the enduring mechanics of siege.
