Latest World Food Programme News

US-built pier in Gaza is facing its latest challenge — whether the UN will keep delivering the aid

Jun. 14, 2024 18:22 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S.-built pier to bring food to Gaza is facing one of its most serious challenges yet — its humanitarian partner is deciding if it can safely and ethically keep delivering supplies arriving by the U.S. sea route to starving Palestinians. The United Nations,...

UN food agency pauses its aid work at US pier in Gaza over security concerns, in latest setback

Jun. 09, 2024 22:21 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The director of the U.N. World Food Program said Sunday the program has “paused” its distribution of humanitarian aid from an American-built pier off Gaza, saying she was “concerned about the safety of our people" after what had been one of the deadliest days of the war...

UN agencies say over 1 million in Gaza could experience highest level of starvation by mid-July

Jun. 05, 2024 13:09 PM EDT

CAIRO (AP) — United Nations agencies warned Wednesday that over 1 million Palestinians in Gaza could experience the highest level of starvation by the middle of next month if hostilities continue. The World Food Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization said in a joint...

Nearly 3 out of 10 children in Afghanistan face crisis or emergency level of hunger in 2024

May. 29, 2024 09:24 AM EDT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — About 6.5 million children in Afghanistan were forecast to experience crisis levels of hunger in 2024, a nongovernmental organization said. Nearly three out of 10 Afghan children will face crisis or emergency levels of hunger this year as the country feels the...

From Zambia to Afghanistan, WFP warns El Nino's extreme weather is causing a surge in hunger

May. 22, 2024 20:51 PM EDT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Extreme weather attributed to the El Nino phenomenon is causing a surge in hunger in several countries, including Zambia and Afghanistan, the UN's World Food Programme said Wednesday, and called on donors for much-needed help. El Niño is a natural,...

First aid from US pier in Gaza has reached starving Palestinians, the UN says

May. 22, 2024 18:11 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.N. World Food Program said Wednesday that it has handed out in Gaza in recent days a “limited number” of high-energy biscuits that arrived from a U.S.-built pier, the first aid from the new humanitarian sea route to get into the hands of Palestinians in grave need. ...

UN halts all food distribution in Rafah after running out of supplies in the southern Gaza city

May. 21, 2024 20:38 PM EDT

CAIRO (AP) — The United Nations suspended food distribution in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Tuesday due to a lack of supplies and an untenable security situation caused by Israel’s expanding military operation. The U.N. warned that humanitarian operations across the territory were nearing...

UN food agency warns that the new US sea route for Gaza aid may fail unless conditions improve

May. 21, 2024 19:55 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.N. World Food Program said Tuesday the new U.S. $320 million pier project for delivering aid to Gaza may fail unless Israel starts ensuring the conditions the humanitarian groups need to operate safely. The operation was halted for at least two days after crowds looted aid...

Heavy rains set off flash floods in northern Afghanistan, killing at least 84 people

May. 19, 2024 09:40 AM EDT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — More heavy rains in Afghanistan have triggered flash floods, raising the death toll to 84 in the country’s north following weeks of devastating torrents that had already left hundreds dead and missing, a Taliban spokesman said Sunday. The new round of heavy rains...

Flash floods kill more than 300 people in northern Afghanistan after heavy rains, UN says

May. 11, 2024 11:25 AM EDT

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Flash floods from unusually heavy seasonal rains in Afghanistan have killed more than 300 people and destroyed over 1,000 houses, the U.N. food agency said Saturday. The World Food Program said it was distributing fortified biscuits to the survivors of one of the...