World Food Programme halves West Bank food aid amid funding shortfall

The World Food Programme (WFP) has cut its assistance to families in the West Bank by 50 percent, citing a severe funding shortfall, even as the region’s food‑security needs have more than doubled over the last two years. The decision comes after a series of donor withdrawals and reduced contributions from international partners, leaving the WFP unable to sustain the level of aid it previously provided.

In the West Bank, the WFP had been delivering food parcels, school meal programmes, and emergency nutrition support to roughly 300,000 households. The new budget constraints mean only 150,000 families will receive aid, and the size of each parcel has been reduced by about a third. The organization warns that the reduction could push an additional 200,000 people into acute food insecurity, especially in areas already affected by high inflation and limited market access.

The WFP is urging governments and international donors to restore funding and to consider alternative financing mechanisms to prevent a sharp rise in hunger and malnutrition in the West Bank. Without renewed support, the programme risks failing to meet the growing nutritional demands of the region’s most vulnerable populations.