World Food Programme Cuts West Bank Aid Recipients by Half Amid Severe Funding Shortages

The World Food Programme (WFP) announced it will reduce the number of food assistance recipients in the occupied West Bank by half due to a severe lack of funding. This difficult decision leaves only 200,000 out of 400,000 individuals receiving support through food items, cash vouchers, nutritional services, and livelihood programmes, according to a statement from the UN body. These cuts take effect this month.

The WFP noted that humanitarian needs in the West Bank have more than doubled since 2023. During this period, escalating violence by Israeli forces and illegal settlers forced the displacement of Palestinians, disrupted livelihoods, and left more than 900,000 Palestinians food insecure. The WFP reported that two-thirds of households experienced a significant drop in income, while food and fuel prices remain among the highest in the region, hitting rural areas the hardest as settlers assault farmers, steal crops, burn land, and kill livestock.

“Families who were once thriving and earning a living from their land are now unable to afford enough food,” said Shaun Hughes, WFP country director for Palestine, in a statement. He added that while the agency should be scaling up aid, it is forced to prioritize the most vulnerable while cutting assistance despite widespread needs, urging the international community to step up support immediately.

This funding shortfall has also impacted WFP operations reaching 1.5 million people in Gaza. In July, the cash value of assistance for 375,000 people was reduced by 40 per cent, with warnings of further reductions. The WFP stated that it urgently requires an additional $386 million over the next six months from September 2026 to support an estimated two million food insecure people across both Gaza and the West Bank.

Meanwhile, aid operations in Gaza face severe challenges under an Israeli blockade, despite a fragile ceasefire meant to allow the free flow of humanitarian assistance. The British charity Medical Aid for Palestinians reported that three UN warehouses were damaged in Deir Al Balah during an Israeli strike, and other partner-operated warehouses suffered extensive damage in a similar incident. Consequently, nearly all of Gaza's population—more than 1.9 million of the 2.1 million residents—remains in urgent need of shelter and essential non-food assistance.