GAZA – The World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that Gaza’s entire food system is “on the verge of collapse,” as Israel’s ongoing blockade continues to push the population toward full-scale famine. According to the UN agency, most families are now struggling to access even a single meal per day, and the food that is available lacks the essential nutrients needed for a healthy diet.
In a statement published Monday on X, WFP stressed that a ceasefire is urgently needed to enable large-scale and safe humanitarian aid deliveries. “Most families in Gaza can barely eat once a day,” the agency reported, noting that food insecurity remains alarmingly high.
Since March 2, Israel has kept Gaza’s border crossings closed to humanitarian assistance, cutting off access to basic food and medical supplies for over 2.4 million people. WFP noted that residents are collapsing from hunger and extreme heat, while others are risking their lives to obtain as little as one kilogram of flour.
The limited food reaching Gaza is severely deficient in nutritional value, offering little to no protein, iron, or essential vitamins — making it insufficient even for basic survival. As a result, malnutrition is spreading rapidly, particularly among the most vulnerable.
Infants are among the hardest hit. With baby formula nearly impossible to obtain, some families have resorted to mixing cornstarch with water as a substitute to feed their babies — a practice that poses serious health risks and provides no nutritional benefit.
Nursing mothers are also suffering. Due to severe hunger and lack of access to nourishing food, many are unable to produce breast milk. This has led to famine reaching even the stomachs of newborns, compounding the humanitarian crisis.
Since May 27, Israel and the United States have launched a limited aid distribution scheme known as the “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” bypassing the UN and international relief organizations. The mechanism has drawn criticism for forcing starving Palestinians into a deadly choice: face hunger, or risk being shot while attempting to reach aid.
As of June 29, the Government Media Office in Gaza reported that 580 Palestinians had been killed and more than 4,200 injured while trying to access these limited aid deliveries. Another 39 people remain missing.
On Friday, Haaretz reported that Israeli soldiers have confessed to deliberately firing on unarmed civilians waiting near distribution sites, following direct orders from their commanders.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza — with full U.S. support — has resulted in over 193,000 Palestinians killed or injured, the vast majority of them women and children. More than 11,000 remain missing, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced.
