Gaza Runs Out of Food as UN Warns of Desperate Crisis Amid Israeli Blockade
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has announced it has exhausted all food stocks in Gaza, as the region faces a deepening humanitarian crisis after a seven-week-long Israeli blockade.
WFP confirmed that on Friday it delivered its final food supplies to hot meal kitchens, which are expected to shut down in the coming days. These kitchens have been vital, providing nearly a million meals daily to displaced Palestinians.
Israel halted aid deliveries on 2 March, resuming military operations two weeks later after a ceasefire with Hamas collapsed. Israel says the blockade pressures Hamas to release hostages, while insisting it is abiding by international law and that no aid shortage exists—a claim disputed by the United Nations and humanitarian organizations.
Since the blockade, Gaza’s food system has collapsed. All 25 WFP-supported bakeries closed in March when wheat flour and fuel ran out. Emergency food parcels have been exhausted, and food prices have skyrocketed up to 1,400% compared to prices during the ceasefire.
Worsening Malnutrition and Desperation
Malnutrition is rapidly rising. A UN partner recently screened 1,300 children in northern Gaza, identifying over 80 cases of acute malnutrition—double previous figures.
Meanwhile, Gaza faces crippling shortages of medicine, medical supplies, and fuel needed to maintain basic services like water production, according to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“This aid blockade must end. Lives depend on it,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, calling the situation “an awful and grim moment.”
WFP warned that Gaza’s fragile humanitarian gains during the brief ceasefire have completely unraveled. Without immediate border openings for aid and trade, millions risk severe hunger.
Despite 116,000 tonnes of food aid stockpiled and ready at crossings, deliveries remain blocked. WFP’s Country Director Antoine Renard said that hot meal kitchens, even when operational, could only meet 25% of daily food needs for half of Gaza’s population.
Humanitarian Collapse Looms
Gavin Kelleher, from the Norwegian Refugee Council, reported worsening desperation: families are bartering, selling their remaining possessions for food, and widespread begging is now common across Gaza.
Earlier this week, the UK, France, and Germany condemned the blockade as “intolerable.” Israel rejected the criticism, stating that Hamas has hijacked aid—an accusation the UN denies, emphasizing strict tracking of aid deliveries.
Israel’s military offensive follows Hamas’s deadly October 2023 attack, where 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Since then, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports over 51,000 deaths.
The WFP urged all parties to prioritize civilians, demanding an immediate reopening of Gaza’s borders to avert total humanitarian collapse.
