MoSD Calls for Diversifying Food Assistance in Gaza to Meet Nutritional Needs & Preserve Citizens’ Dignity
Ministry Continues Follow-Up with WFP to Improve Food Parcel Contents After Nearly Three Years of Reliance on Limited Food Items
Ramallah – The Ministry of Social Development stressed the need to improve and diversify the food assistance provided to families in the Gaza Strip in a manner that responds to people’s actual nutritional needs, particularly after nearly three years of crisis and the prolonged reliance of large numbers of families on humanitarian assistance as their primary source of food.
The Ministry explained that observations reported by its teams working in the Gaza Strip, together with feedback received from citizens, highlight the importance of avoiding the repeated provision of the same food items over extended periods. It called for more diverse and balanced food baskets that include different sources of protein and nutritious foods, as well as vegetables, fruits, and other essential items whenever possible.
The Ministry emphasized that the issue is not only about the quantity of food available, but also its quality, nutritional value, and suitability for families living under prolonged exceptional circumstances, particularly children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, older persons, persons with disabilities, and patients. According to World Food Programme data, around 1.4 million people in Gaza continue to face high levels of acute food insecurity, while people face difficulties accessing vegetables, fruits, protein sources, and other foods necessary for a healthy diet.
The Ministry stressed that it takes citizens’ feedback regarding the type and content of assistance seriously, noting that reduced utilization of certain items or their unsuitability for families’ needs requires a review of intervention mechanisms and food basket contents to ensure the greatest possible benefit from available humanitarian resources and minimize waste.
Minister of Social Development and Acting Minister of State for Relief Affairs, Dr. Samah Hamad, raised the issue of diversifying food assistance directly with the World Food Programme during the signing ceremony for the new Japanese contribution to support food security in Palestine, held in Ramallah on 24 August. During the meeting, she called for food baskets not to be limited to the same items that citizens have been receiving for an extended period, stressing that this request reflects needs and feedback communicated by citizens and Ministry teams working on the ground.
The new Japanese contribution comes within this context. In addition to more than 1,600 metric tons of fortified wheat flour, it includes 72 metric tons of canned tuna provided by Japan. The Ministry welcomed this addition as a step toward introducing an additional source of protein and diversifying the food provided to families. According to the Ministry of Social Development, the contribution is valued at approximately USD 3.3 million and targets more than 150,000 Palestinians.
The Ministry emphasized that the prolonged humanitarian crisis requires moving beyond the concept of providing minimum food requirements toward a higher-quality and more diverse response that takes nutrition, health, and human dignity into account, while maintaining the continuous provision of essential food items and ensuring that the volume of assistance provided to families in need is not reduced.
The Ministry added that it continues its official and technical communication with the World Food Programme on this issue and will continue conveying feedback from citizens and its teams in the Gaza Strip. It will also work with WFP and international partners to improve the content of food assistance in line with families’ changing needs and ensure the optimal use of international support.
The Ministry stressed that its role is not limited to coordinating the delivery of assistance, but also includes monitoring its impact and the extent to which citizens benefit from it, as well as communicating families’ needs and feedback to partner and donor organizations. This contributes to directing interventions toward citizens’ actual priorities and improving the quality of the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry concluded by emphasizing that Palestinians in Gaza need sufficient, diverse, and nutritious food, rather than the continued repetition of the same basic items. Improving food baskets is an integral part of protecting families’ health and dignity, particularly as hundreds of thousands of families continue to depend on humanitarian assistance due to the loss of income and livelihoods.