External Situation Report #22 12/August/2014

Highlights

  • WFP and UNRWA have launched a special food distribution aiming to reach 730,000 conflict-affected people in Gaza. These beneficiaries are not part of WFP or UNRWA's regular food assistance programmes. This is a special distribution to help families address food needs linked to the conflict.
  • WFP and UNRWA supplied approximately 76 metric tons (mt) of bread to people in Gaza to alleviate pressure on Gaza bakeries. As of 14 August, the programme will be paused as local bakeries and people in homes are able to provide bread to meet their needs.
  • WFP has been a strong partner with UNRWA during this crisis – WFP has purchased a total of 5,878 mt of food valued at US$ 11 million, which has been provided to support urgent food needs in Gaza.

Situation Update

  • The current ceasefire, which is scheduled to end at midnight on 13 August, has allowed WFP and its partners to reach additional affected people with food assistance. Between 11 and 12 August, a total of 28 WFP trucks crossed through Kerem Shalom into Gaza, carrying wheat flour, milk, biscuits, canned meat, canned pulses and canned tuna for urgent distribution.
  • An estimated 70,000 people won't be able to return to their houses in the near future because their houses are either destroyed or severely damaged. These people will be in need of food and other assistance for a longer period of time.

WFP Response

While people in Gaza are displaced, WFP will provide them with either a special emergency ration of ready-to-eat food or an emergency electronic voucher.

Once people return to their homes or a location with a host community where they can cook, store food, etc. People will be provided with either:

  • One time special food parcel with a focus on host communities supporting new people in their homes.
  • WFP’s or UNRWA’s regular in-kind food distribution – this is the case for people who were already part of these programmes prior to the conflict.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO CONFLICT-AFFECTED PEOPLE IN GAZA:

  • SPECIAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION: Between WFP's partner Global Communities and UNRWA, more than 71,142 people have been reached with a one time special food parcel.
  • FOOD FOR UNRWA SHELTERS: WFP assists approximately 225,391 displaced people in 95 UNRWA shelters with emergency food rations.
  • FOOD FOR PUBLIC SHELTERS: WFP distributes emergency food rations to 12,874 displaced people at 23 public shelters.
  • VOUCHERS FOR FAMILIES SHELTERING IN HOST COMMUNITIES: WFP and Oxfam GB are distributing emergency electronic food vouchers to 48,000 people living in host communities. This programme is being scaled up to reach an additional 12,000 people recently identified as in need.
  • Families can use the voucher to buy locally produced food at local shops. A WFP-UNICEF partnership enables families to be able to purchase water and sanitation products in addition to food with a single voucher.
  • The vouchers have an overall value of approximately US$ 128 (440 NIS) per month, for an average family of six.
  • The voucher redemption rate stands at 86 percent. WFP and Oxfam GB are adding more voucher shops to the programme for sufficient geographical coverage. A total of 12 new voucher shops have been selected, four in the north and the remaining 8 in Gaza City to support the scale up of new beneficiaries.
  • FOOD FOR HOSPITALS: WFP is reaching approximately 2,040 patients and hospital staff emergency food rations.

WFP's ONGOING PRE-CONFLICT PROGRAMMES:

  • WFP and Global Communities resumed the regular July-August food distribution cycle, targeting 85,000 people, again on 11 August. Distributions normally are spread out over a period of a few weeks, however, the current distribution cycle is being completed rapidly as people are in urgent need of the food assistance.
  • WFP's regular voucher programme, targeting 60,000 people, remained functional during the crisis. The voucher redemption rate in the second week of August stands at 97 percent.

Monitoring

  • WFP is closely monitoring the food security situation in Gaza, as well as available stocks at voucher shops.

Basic commodities:

  • Pressure remains on the availability of bread and eggs. Prices of fresh vegetables have gone down compared to prices in July, but are still higher than prior to the conflict.

Wheat and bakeries:

  • Pressure on bakeries because of the high demand of bread remains. Bakeries do face challenges with their generators and fuel stock.

Dairy products:

  • People only buy dairy products for immediate consumption, or products such as shelf life milk, because there is no possibility for refrigeration in houses.

Food Security Sector

  • The Food Security Sector is working closely on phase one of the Multi-Cluster/Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA). Field visits in Gaza are taking place today to gather a more detailed understanding of the humanitarian needs following the conflict.

Logistics Cluster

  • The Logistics Cluster has secured additional staging areas in Ramallah and Nablus in the West Bank, for use by partners and the humanitarian community to bring together urgent humanitarian supplies for shipment to Gaza. In total there are now five staging areas for the Gaza emergency.
  • Since the activation of the Logistics Cluster on 30 July, the delivery of more than 900 pallets of relief items to Gaza have been coordinated. This includes more than 240 pallets of water and more than 180 pallets of blankets, mattresses and pillows.
  • On 12 August, The Logistics Cluster facilitated the transportation of 27 pallets of milk on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs. In addition, over 280 pallets of humanitarian relief supplies from private donations were transported by the cluster.

Resourcing Update

  • WFP requires US$ 48 million for its humanitarian response in Gaza for a period of three months and US$ 20 million for its regular food assistance in Gaza (US$5 million) and the West Bank (US$15 million).

Endnote

1According to the results of the latest food security assessment, which was held prior to the Gaza emergency.

Rossella Fanelli

Head of External Relations

Email: Rossella.fanelli@wfp.org

Tel: [+972] 2 5401340 2210

Yasmine Abuelassal

Donor Relations

Email: Yasmin.abuelassal@wfp.org

Tel: [+972] 2 5401340 2215

Colin Kampschöer

Reports Officer

Email: Colin.kampschoer@wfp.org

Tel: [+972] 54 677 3136


Document symbol: WFPSitRpt_120814
Download Document Files: https://unispal.un.org/pdfs/WFPSitRpt_120814.pdf
Document Type: Situation Report, Update
Document Sources: World Food Programme (WFP)
Subject: Armed conflict, Assistance, Food, Gaza Strip, Health, Humanitarian relief, Internally displaced persons
Publication Date: 12/08/2014