A senior UN World Food Programme (WFP) official, Ross Smith, reported on Monday, 2023-10-23, that the hunger crisis in Gaza has drastically worsened, with one-third of the population going without food for multiple days. This follows a deadly incident on Sunday, 2023-10-22, where dozens of civilians were killed and injured while waiting for food aid. Mr. Smith described the incident as a "greatest tragedies" for WFP operations and stressed its avoidability. WFP assessments indicate that a quarter of Gaza's 2.1 million population faces famine-like conditions, with almost 100,000 women and children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

Mr. Smith stated that food and humanitarian aid are the only immediate solutions, highlighting the need for minimum operating conditions including safe crossings, proper internal routing, daily entry of over 100 aid trucks, and the absence of armed actors near distribution points. He emphasized that while agreements exist in principle, adherence in practice is lacking. A ceasefire is also critical for effective aid delivery, with WFP capable of supplying Gaza's population for two months with existing stockpiles if these conditions are met. During an earlier ceasefire, over 200 trucks of aid were delivered daily, a figure that has since dropped to less than 10 percent of the required amount.

Impact Statement: The escalating hunger crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by violence and logistical constraints, threatens a humanitarian catastrophe requiring immediate international action to ensure aid delivery and a lasting ceasefire.