Gazans’ response to food distributions ‘overwhelming’ as humanitarians scale up under fragile ceasefire

In Gaza, the ceasefire is enabling UN humanitarians to reach more desperate people with life-saving food, but greater access is needed to contain the spread of famine.

Abeer Etefa, Senior Regional Communications Officer and spokesperson for the World Food Programme (WFP) told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday that since the ceasefire took hold on 11 October the agency has been able to bring in over 6,700 metric tonnes of food – enough for close to half a million people for two weeks.

“Daily deliveries continue and they are now averaging around 750 tonnes,” Ms. Etefa said. “That's much better than what we had before the ceasefire, but it's still well below our target, which is around 2,000 tonnes every day.”

The WFP spokesperson explained that unless all border crossing points can be used, reaching this target is “almost impossible”

Currently, only the crossings at Kerem Shalom and Kissufim in the south are open, and the “severe amount of destruction” impedes access from the south to the north – where famine was declared in August.

“We need Erez, we need Zikkim, we need these border crossing points to open,” Ms. Etefa insisted.

Reaching northern Gaza with large-scale convoys is a priority, she said. “We've cleared the roads at scale into the north,” she added, removing the debris from the border crossing points to be able to connect to Gaza City where the situation is particularly dire. But we need these crossings to open so that we're able to get large-scale convoys.”

The agency has started restoring its food distribution system, with a goal of scaling assistance through 145 distribution points across the Strip. Some 26 distribution points have already been reinstated.

“The response has been really overwhelming,” Ms. Etefa said, describing people’s reactions to the food distributions. “People are showing up in large numbers, grateful for the efficiency of the delivery of food assistance” as well as the “dignified way” in which they are able to stand in line and quickly obtain their food rations.

The impact is significant, especially for “the most vulnerable, the women, female-headed households, the elderly,” she said.

People are hopeful but there is “cautious optimism” as to how long the current conditions will prevail, Ms. Etefa said. Those receiving food aid tend to eat only part of the rations and keep the rest in case of emergency, “because they are not very confident how long the ceasefire will last and what will happen next.”

“It is a fragile peace,” Ms. Etefa stressed.

Adding to the challenges, food prices in Gaza remain prohibitive and supplies are still not sufficient “to the level that it can be affordable”, Ms. Etefa said. “There's still a huge problem of access… people can find food in the market, but it's out of reach because it's extremely expensive,” she warned.

WFP is supporting the most food insecure people with digital payments which have so far allowed some 140,000 people to buy food on local markets, the goal being to double the programme in the coming weeks.

The WFP spokesperson reiterated the agency’s calls for commercial supplies to enter the enclave and supplement aid. “Humanitarian aid will not be the only solution for dealing with severe malnutrition and having a complete food basket,” she explained.

Only a full implementation of the ceasefire can enable WFP to operate at the scale required for this crisis, Ms. Etefa stressed. “Sustaining the ceasefire is vital.

It's really… the only way we can save lives and push back on the famine in the north of Gaza,” she concluded.

-ENDS-

STORY Gaza aid update WFP 21 October 2025

TRT: 4:07”

SOURCE: UNTV CH AND WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP)

RESTRICTIONS: NONE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS

ASPECT RATIO: 16:9

DATELINE: 21 OCTOBER 2025 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND; 14-19 OCTOBER, GAZA VARIOUS LOCATIONS

1. WFP B-roll: Fuel truck on the road, Kerem Shalom, 15 October 2025

2. WFP B-roll: Loading of WFP trucks, Kerem Shalom, 15 October 2025

3. Exterior wide shot: Palais des Nations, Flag Alley.

4. Medium shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference.

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Abeer Etefa, Senior Regional Communications Officer and Spokesperson for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, World Food Programme (WFP): “So far we've had over 6,700 tonnes of food. That's enough for close to half a million people for two weeks. Daily deliveries continue and they are now averaging around 750 tonnes. That's much better than what we had before the ceasefire, but it's still well below our target, which is around 2,000 tonnes every day.”

6. Wide shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Abeer Etefa, Senior Regional Communications Officer and Spokesperson for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, World Food Programme (WFP): “[The] severe amount of destruction makes it, you know, almost impossible to get to this goal of 2,000 tonnes unless you are able to utilize all crossing points.”

8. Wide shot: Speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Abeer Etefa, Senior Regional Communications Officer and Spokesperson for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, World Food Programme (WFP): “We haven't had large scale convoys into the, you know, Gaza City or to the north of Gaza. We've cleared the roads at scale into the north, but we need these crossings to open so that we're able to get large scale convoys.”

10. Wide shot: Speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

11. SOUNDBITE (English) – Abeer Etefa, Senior Regional Communications Officer and Spokesperson for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, World Food Programme (WFP): “The response has been really overwhelming. People are showing up in large numbers, grateful for the efficiency of the delivery of food assistance as well as the, you know, dignified way of people standing in line, quickly getting their food rations, and especially impacting the most vulnerable, the women, female-headed households, the elderly.”

12. Wide shot: Speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.

13. SOUNDBITE (English) – Abeer Etefa, Senior Regional Communications Officer and Spokesperson for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, World Food Programme (WFP): “People are hopeful. There is cautious optimism, but they are, the food that they are receiving, they eat part of it and they ration, and keep some of the supplies for emergency because they are not very confident how long the ceasefire will last and what will happen next.”

14. Medium shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screen.

15. SOUNDBITE (English) – Abeer Etefa, Senior Regional Communications Officer and Spokesperson for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, World Food Programme (WFP): “We’ve seen reports that, you know, because supplies are getting in the food prices have dropped, but not to the level that it can be affordable. There's still a huge problem of access. People, you know, can find food in the market, but it's out of reach because it's extremely expensive.”

16. Medium-wide shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screen; journalists in the Press room.

17. SOUNDBITE (English) – Abeer Etefa, Senior Regional Communications Officer and Spokesperson for the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, World Food Programme (WFP): “Sustaining the ceasefire is vital. It's really, it's the only way we can save lives and push back on the famine in the north of Gaza.”

18. Various shots of journalists in the Press room.

19. WFP B-roll: Departure of WFP trucks, Kerem Shalom, 15 October 2025

20. WFP B-roll: Road clearing, Northern Gaza, 14 October 2025

21. WFP B-roll: Distribution of WFP food parcels, Deir Al-Balah, 19 October 2025

22. WFP B-roll: WFP food parcel being brought home, Khan Younis, 20 October 2025