Food security in Gaza improves but remains fragile: UN

Food security and child nutrition across the Gaza Strip have seen improvements, largely due to expanded humanitarian aid, but the situation remains precarious. The United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) highlighted on Thursday that progress is fragile because only a single aid crossing point is currently operational.

The WFP noted a significant increase in food and nutritional aid since the ceasefire agreement in October 2025. In May, approximately 1.5 million people received food parcels, while 700,000 benefited from cash assistance, and 60% of children under five received nutritional support. However, the program cautioned that the sole open crossing, Kerem Shalom/Abu Salem in southern Gaza, restricts the essential flow of goods.

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While access into Gaza has improved, only one crossing - Kerem Shalom/Abu Salem - in the south of Gaza remains open, limiting the flow of essential goods.

Early signs suggest local food production can be restored if farmers and herders gain access to cropland, inputs, and essential services like energy for irrigation. The WFP pointed to a 33% increase in sheep inventories in supported areas. Yet, this potential cannot be fully realized without lifting restrictions on what enters the Strip. The ongoing two-year war has severely damaged Gaza's agricultural sector, rendering over 70% of cropland inaccessible and only 3% usable.

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher has previously called for the opening of all crossing points into Gaza and the immediate removal of Israeli restrictions on goods such as medical equipment and fuel. The WFP's findings underscore the critical need for sustained access and the removal of blockades to ensure lasting food security and recovery in the territory.

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this can only go so far without the removal of restrictions on what enters the Strip