American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) has initiated a community kitchen in al-Zuwayda, central Gaza, which is one of over 35 such kitchens in the area, providing 210,000 hot meals daily. This program began following a ceasefire six weeks ago and addresses dire food shortages exacerbated by an Israeli blockade that had previously restricted supplies. With restrictions easing somewhat, the situation has improved, although access to essential proteins like meat remains limited.
Anera’s team leader, Sami Matar, noted that daily meal production has increased from 15 to 120 pots, serving over 20,000 people. The organization’s efforts focus on internally displaced camps, where they aim to assist families who have lost homes and loved ones due to ongoing conflict. With a population of over two million in Gaza, daily meals distributed through various humanitarian networks recently reached 1.4 million, indicating a rise in food availability.
Despite this progress, Anera still faces challenges in sourcing diverse food items. Currently, meals are primarily based on rice, pasta, and lentils, with limited use of vegetables. Matar emphasized the need for fresh ingredients and proteins to enhance nutritional offerings, as aid is still constrained by ongoing restrictions.
Aid agencies urge Israel to open all crossing points and ease operational restrictions on humanitarian organizations to improve the food supply. The World Food Programme reports that a quarter of households in Gaza now consume just one meal a day, with inflation making food costs prohibitive for many.
As winter approaches, conditions are worsening for those in temporary accommodations, raising concerns about their ability to stay warm and fed. Stakeholders await developments following the UN Security Council’s recent resolution on Gaza, with hopes for a stable, lasting ceasefire.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn7klr7647jo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss