Abandoning Gaza

For Palestinians who have endured years of relentless bombardment and starvation, the prospect of losing humanitarian assistance is yet another cruel blow. The World Food Programme's decision to discontinue monthly food assistance to 500,000 people in Gaza, owing to a funding shortfall, is an indictment of the international community's diminishing commitment to a population that remains dependent on outside help for survival.

That such a withdrawal is taking place while 1.4 million Palestinians continue to face acute food insecurity speaks volumes about the world's willingness to look away from a humanitarian catastrophe that is far from over. The WFP will now assist 1.1 million people instead of 1.6 million, while those fortunate enough to remain beneficiaries will receive reduced food rations and cash assistance. Whatever limited improvement has occurred is largely attributable to the very humanitarian assistance that is now being withdrawn. Cutting this lifeline risks reversing those gains and condemning already malnourished families to further deprivation. The international community cannot absolve itself of responsibility by citing financial constraints. The WFP requires $450 million over the next six months to sustain its operations in Gaza and the West Bank. That such a sum remains difficult to mobilise, while governments continue to commit enormous resources to military expenditure, exposes a disturbing imbalance in global priorities. The drastic reduction in American contributions to international humanitarian programmes has compounded the crisis.

Wealthy nations, particularly those wielding influence over the conflict, must be held accountable for their failure to ensure that civilians have access to the necessities of life. Israel, meanwhile, must remove restrictions on humanitarian and commercial supplies and facilitate relief operations. Donor governments must immediately restore funding, while global institutions should press for guarantees that humanitarian assistance will reach those who need it without political obstruction.