Italy's humanitarian initiative Food For Gaza supports efforts to alleviate hunger in the Strip

This contribution comes as part of the “Food for Gaza” multistakeholder initiative led by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with key humanitarian actors – FAO, WFP and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - and the Italian Civil Protection, which aims to strengthen collaboration and facilitate access to food assistance in order to alleviate the suffering of the population and improve food security in the Gaza Strip.

Humanitarian assistance is the only lifeline for hundreds of thousands of families in Gaza as the conflict and profound humanitarian crisis shows no sign of abating. The latest food security assessment on Gaza, issued in June, paints a stark picture of ongoing hunger, finding that 96 percent of the population is facing acute food insecurity at crisis level or higher (IPC Category 3+), with almost half a million people in catastrophic conditions (IPC Category 5). 

“We are grateful to Italy for the Food for Gaza initiative. Every action aimed at easing the suffering of people in Gaza is vital. Families are traumatized and exhausted. We must work together to end this conflict.  We are committed to working with Italy to support communities in Gaza not only with humanitarian assistance but also with hope in their time of need”, said Rania Dagash-Kamara, WFP Assistant Executive Director.

Conditions in Gaza are extremely volatile. Recent evacuation orders in Khan Younis, Rafah, and Gaza City have resulted in the largest displacements since October 2023, forcing food distribution points to close and relocate. There are currently 13 out of the 18 bakeries supported by WFP that are operational in Gaza - seven in Deir al Balah, four in Gaza City and two in North Gaza. Families struggle to maintain any sense of normalcy and the damage to health services, schools and food production is threatening an entire generation.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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