WFP: Palestine – Monthly Market Monitor – August 2024

26 August 2024

Situation Overview:

The ongoing escalation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip continues to severely affect the Palestinian population, marked by persistent safety concerns and significant displacement of residents who are unable to return to their homes. Despite modest improvements in market availability during April, the situation has deteriorated in early May 2024 following the Rafah incursion, reversing any gains due to the closure of the Rafah crossing. Reports of bombardment from air, land, and sea persist throughout much of the Gaza Strip, leading to additional civilian casualties, further displacement, and extensive damage to residential dwellings and civilian infrastructure.

The delivery of aid supplies into Gaza remains unreliable due to access restrictions and ongoing security issues. As example, on August 6, the Israeli authorities closed the Kerem Shalom/Karam Abu Salem Crossing due to security concerns, halting five planned humanitarian missions, including the rotation of aid personnel, and preventing the collection of critical supplies. Additionally, the Erez West (Zikim) entry point has been closed for maintenance since August 2, causing humanitarian supplies to be redirected to the Erez Crossing. Over the past three months, the amount of aid entering Gaza via the Kerem Shalom/Karam Abu Salem Crossing has decreased by more than 80 percent, dropping from an average of 127 trucks per day in April to just 23 trucks per day in July. While the majority of aid cargo between January and April entered Gaza through this crossing, the percentage of aid picked up by humanitarian agencies has now fallen to just 29 percent of the total aid entering Gaza. Overall, the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza has more than halved since the Rafah ground operation began and the Rafah Crossing was abruptly closed in early May, with daily truck deliveries decreasing from an average of 169 in April to 94 in May, and less than 80 in June and July.

The latest IPC report from May highlights a high risk of famine throughout the Gaza Strip, persisting as long as the conflict continues, and humanitarian access remains restricted. The report concluded that approximately 96 percent of Gaza population (2.15M people) face high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC 3+) through September 2024. The entire territory is classified under Emergency (IPC Phase 4), with 22 percent of Gaza population (495,000) face extreme lack of food, experience starvation, and exhaustion of coping capacities (IPC 5). Additionally, another 745,000 people (33 percent) are classified in Emergency (IPC Phase 4).