• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Aid still scarce in Gaza nearly 1 month after ceasefire: Agencies

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 04 November 2025 6:56 PM

Several international aid agencies have warned that far too little assistance is reaching the Gaza Strip, nearly a month after a ceasefire took effect, with the territory still facing a hunger and shelter crisis as winter fast approaches.

In a statement on Tuesday, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said only half of the required food supplies are entering the besieged territory.

Abeer Etefa, senior spokesperson for WFP, described the situation as a "race against time," noting that the agency has delivered 20,000 metric tons of food, which is approximately half of the needed amount, and has opened 44 out of a targeted 145 distribution sites.

"We need full access. We need everything to be moving fast," Etefa said. "The winter months are coming. People are still suffering from hunger, and the needs are overwhelming."

She also underscored the lack of variety in food supplies to ward off malnutrition, with most households relying solely on cereals, pulses, and dry rations, while essential items like meat, eggs, vegetables, and fruit are rarely available.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Palestine also said that a severe fuel shortage, including cooking gas, is worsening the crisis, forcing over 60 percent of Gazans to resort to cooking with burning waste, posing a significant threat to public health.

In addition, a coalition of Palestinian aid organizations estimated that the total aid deliveries are still only between one-quarter and one-third of what is necessary, with concerns about impending winter conditions and the potential health risks posed by accumulating waste near populated areas.

Furthermore, the aid groups warned of an escalating shelter crisis, with Shaina Low, spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council, describing the living conditions as "unimaginable" and stating that large volumes of tents and tarpaulins remain held up pending Israeli approvals.

Gaza's local administration reported that due to Israeli restrictions, only about 145 trucks are delivering aid daily, and the UN has halted its regular publication of daily updates on truck entries.

The NGO network in Gaza also stated that the territory remains under famine conditions, with humanitarian aid covering barely 30% of the needs.

Stefanos Fotiou, director of the UN Food Systems Coordination Centre, emphasized the necessity of opening crossings to facilitate the entry of aid into Gaza, expressing hope for the rehabilitation of the food system in the region.

On October 10, a US-brokered ceasefire took effect in the Gaza Strip.

The truce was expected to allow a surge of humanitarian aid into the densely populated territory, where famine was confirmed in August, and almost all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have lost their homes due to Israeli bombardment.

Despite the truce, conditions remain dire. The Israeli regime continues to violate the ceasefire agreement.

The UN estimates that 81 percent of Gaza's structure has been destroyed or damaged.