UN food agency says its food stocks in Gaza have run out under Israel's blockade
The
World Food Program
says its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out under Israel's nearly 8-week-old blockade, ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in the territory.
#Pahalgam Terrorist Attack
India pulled the plug on IWT when Pakistanis are fighting over water
What makes this India-Pakistan standoff more dangerous than past ones
The problem of Pakistan couldn't have come at a worse time for D-St
The WFP said in a statement that it delivered the last of its stocks to charity kitchens that it supports around Gaza. It said those kitchens are expected to run out of food in the coming days.
Some 80% of Gaza's population of more than 2 million relies primarily on charity kitchens for food, because other sources have shut down under Israel's blockade, according to the U.N. The WFP has been supporting 47 kitchens that distribute 644,000 hot meals a day, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told The Associated Press.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Here's What A Walk-In Shower Should Cost You In Garland
West Shore Home
Learn More
Undo
It was not immediately clear how many kitchens would still be operating in Gaza if those shut down. But Etefa said the WFP-backed kitchens are the major ones in Gaza.
Israel cut off entry of all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza on March 2 and then resumed its bombardment and ground offensives two weeks later, shattering a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. It says the moves aim to pressure
Hamas
to release hostages it still holds. Rights groups have called the blockade a "starvation tactic" and a potential war crime.
Live Events
COGAT, the Israeli military agency in charge of coordinating aid in Gaza, declined to comment on the amount of supplies remaining in the territory. It has previously said Gaza had enough aid after a surge in distribution during the ceasefire. Israel accuses Hamas of diverting aid for its purposes. Humanitarian workers deny there is significant diversion, saying the U.N. strictly monitors distribution. They say the aid flow during the ceasefire was barely enough to cover the immense needs from throughout the war when only a trickle of supplies got in.
With no new goods entering Gaza, many foods have disappeared from markets, including meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products and many vegetables. Prices for what remains have risen dramatically, becoming unaffordable for much of the population. Most families rely heavily on canned goods.
Malnutrition is already surging. The U.N. said it identified 3,700 children suffering from acute malnutrition in March, up 80% from the month before. At the same time, because of diminishing supplies, aid groups were only able to provide nutritional supplements to some 22,000 children in March, down 70% from February. The supplements are a crucial tool for averting malnutrition.
Almost all bakeries shut down weeks ago and the WFP stopped distribution of food basics to families for lack of supplies. With stocks of most ingredients depleted, charity kitchens generally can only serve meals of pasta or rice with little added.
World Central Kitchen - a U.S. charity that is one of the biggest in Gaza that doesn't rely on the WFP - said Thursday that its kitchens had run out of proteins. Instead, they make stews from canned vegetables. Because fuel is scarce, it dismantles wooden shipping pallets to burn in its stoves, it said. It also runs the only bakery still functioning in Gaza, producing 87,000 loaves of pita a day.
The WFP said 116,000 tons of food is ready to be brought into Gaza if Israel opens the borders, enough to feed 1 million people for four months.
Israel has leveled much of Gaza with its air and ground campaign, vowing to destroy Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. It has killed over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, whose count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
In the Oct. 7 attack, militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251. They still hold 59 hostages after most were released in ceasefire deals.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
How Nietzsche and God helped Israeli hostages survive in the tunnels of Gaza
More than a century ago, Friedrich Nietzsche famously declared that 'God is dead.' But in the fetid, pitch-dark tunnels beneath Gaza—where air was scarce, food scarce still, and the future nearly absent—God and Nietzsche coexisted. For dozens of Israeli hostages taken during Hamas's brutal October 7, 2023, attack, survival meant something more than physical endurance. Inside those underground cells, belief returned with unexpected force—sometimes in the form of sacred verses from the Book of Psalms, other times through the secular wisdom of Nietzsche's existential despair. What united them was the same core truth: the need for meaning, for something to hold onto when everything else—light, freedom, identity—was stripped away. Omer Shem Tov 's Psalm 20 and Nietzsche's 'Why' Omer Shem Tov, 20 at the time of his abduction, had been a secular Israeli, waiting tables and planning a post-army trip to South America. He was seized at the Nova music festival, along with friends, and quickly spirited into the Gaza tunnel network—lowered underground in a plastic tub. Days into his captivity, without access to clocks or sunlight, Shem Tov began to pray. He clung to Psalm 20—'May the Lord answer you on a day of distress'—a passage that, by eerie coincidence, his mother was reciting back home in Herzliya, unaware her son had adopted the same verse as his mantra. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Good News: You May Be Richer Than You Think Undo For him, faith didn't emerge as sudden revelation, but as necessity—a response to isolation, uncertainty, and fear. He began blessing his food, making promises to God, and vowed to don tefillin in prayer if he ever returned home. But if God gave him ritual, Nietzsche offered something else: a reason to endure. A saying frequently repeated among hostages was drawn from the German philosopher, popularised by Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl: 'He who has a why can bear with any how.' It had reportedly been spoken by Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American hostage, before he was executed by his captors. The phrase reverberated through the tunnels like scripture. One hostage later had it tattooed on his arm. The Rediscovery of Faith in Captivity Shem Tov wasn't alone in finding God in Gaza. Other hostages, like Eli Sharabi—who survived 491 days in captivity only to learn that his wife and two daughters had been killed—described saying the Shema Yisrael prayer each night and attempting to recite the kiddush over water when wine wasn't available. Ritual became resistance. For many, Jewish observance wasn't imposed by identity politics or external pressure—it was personal, a lifeline in the most dehumanising conditions imaginable. One hostage described saving a bottle of grape-flavoured drink for the Sabbath prayer. Others placed their hands on their heads in lieu of skullcaps. To the captors, it may have seemed like theatre. To the hostages, it was meaning. Nietzsche Underground And yet, alongside God, Nietzsche endured. Stripped of everything familiar, hostages turned to a philosopher who had buried God in the pages of The Gay Science but also taught generations that suffering could be endured if one had a reason. In the absence of hope, they made purpose. In the absence of time, they made ritual. Even Shem Tov's captors unwittingly played a role. After an Israeli military unit passed above ground, the gunmen handed Shem Tov reading material they had recovered—suspecting hidden codes. Among the texts: religious literature, and a printed card of Psalm 20. No names, no signatures. Just the verse. It mirrored the exact same card that had been handed to his mother months earlier by a hostage support group. The Fragility of Life, the Tenacity of Faith At one point, Shem Tov spent 50 days in a dark, suffocating tunnel cell. He was given a biscuit a day, a few drops of brackish water, and suffered asthma attacks that went nearly untreated. In desperation, he begged God to move him—anywhere else. Within minutes, his captors relocated him to a better chamber. Whether miracle or coincidence, he saw it as divine intervention. From there, he survived through quiet cooperation—cleaning, cooking, helping clear debris after tunnel collapses. He maintained the Sabbath. He saved a bottle of drink for a moment of blessing. He kept faith alive in a place designed to crush it. Now home, he prays daily with tefillin, just as he promised. He has toured Jewish communities in the US, speaking not only of suffering but of resilience. His mother, too, now observes the Sabbath. Theirs is not a tale of religious conversion, but of rediscovery—of how stripped of society's noise, ancient traditions and modern philosophy became tools of survival.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community shouldn't be limited to just the Pride Month: Manvendra Singh Gohil
Manvendra Singh Gohil Recently, prominent LGBTQIA+ rights activist Manvendra Singh Gohil posted a video on Instagram, highlighting how the community continues to face several challenges. While we celebrate Pride Month, Manvendra shares, 'Unfortunately, the LGBTQIA+ community in India continues to face stigma, discrimination and violation of human rights. It has been more than five decades since the LGBTQ+ movement began (in 1969), but this is the sad reality. Even now, many are forced to live in the closet because they fear they would be thrown out of the house otherwise. They also face sexual harassment.' He adds, 'Celebrating the community shouldn't be limited to just Pride Month. I get invited as a speaker by a lot of corporates in June and I tell them that most of their events are just eyewash. Most corporates organise Pride Month events but once June is over, they don't seem to remember us. Unless corporates provide more job opportunities for the community and ensure that there is no discrimination at the workplace, such celebrations are pointless. ' 'There is very little awareness about our rights' Manvendra says one of the biggest challenges is that 'there is very little awareness about our rights.' He elaborates, 'There have been landmark judgments and moments in our fight for equality, like the scrapping of Section 377 (in 2018), the NALSA judgment in 2014 (it recognised a third gender and guaranteed equal rights to the transgender community), and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act that was passed in 2019. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Düsseldorf: GEERS sucht 700 Testhörer für Hörgeräte ohne Zuzahlung GEERS Undo But the implementation and dissemination still remain a challenge. There is a lot of misinformation among the general public because awareness about the laws or rights of the LGBTQIA+ community is limited to just law schools and law colleges. To cite an example, a lot of people believe that the scrapping of Section 377 means that same-sex marriage has been legalised in India, which isn't the case. We need to spread more awareness.' 'We will continue our fight for justice' While Manvendra is disappointed that same-sex marriages haven't been legalised in India, he says, 'We will continue our fight for justice. The Supreme Court has said that the onus is on our Parliament now and we need to reach out to people at the grassroots and raise awareness about our issues. Even the scrapping of Section 377 took about 20 years, so we should continue our fight and I am sure that we will get justice one day. Even if we don't get to see that day, our next generation will.' He adds, 'Recently, the Madras High Court ruled that LGBTQ+ individuals can form a family, which is encouraging. There have been some positive developments. For instance, same-sex couples can now open a joint bank account and have nominees. So, there is some progress, although it is slower than what we would like.' 'Pride Month events are important to create more allies' Homosexuality is deeply rooted in our heritage, as queerness and same-sex love have existed in Indian culture for centuries. The British imposed colonial laws criminalizing our identities and apart from celebrating our identity, Pride is also a reclamation-who we are and who we will be in future. Pride Month events, which include pride walks, are important because they ensure visibility and help create more allies. 'Our marriage is more successful than a lot of heterosexual couples' Manvendra got married to Duke DeAndre Richardson in 2013 in the US and recently, they co-authored a book about completing a decade of marriage and activism. Looking back at the journey, Manvendra says, 'It has been a fabulous journey. Currently, we are in the US to promote the book and we are also attending a few Pride Month events, where we are being felicitated. I believe our marriage is more successful than a lot of heterosexual couples. ' Talking about their dream project, India's first LGBTQA centre at Hanumanteshwar, he adds, 'We are adding more facilities there and the space is open to allies also.' One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
5 Minecraft Farms to Build Early
Image via: Mojang Studios Whether you're a veteran of the game or you're just launching your first new Minecraft world, early-game survival can seem daunting. You're contending with food shortages, a dwindling search for resources, frightening hordes of mobscand that's just trying to establish your first rudimentary base. That's exactly where early-game farms are necessary. Not only do they contribute valuable content, they make it a lot easier and quicker as you go along. Here are five of those farms that are as beginner-friendly as they are powerful for jump-starting your newfound survival lifestyle. 1. Basic Crop Farm : Your First Step Toward Sustainability Food is your first concern in Minecraft, and a simple crop farm is the quickest and most consistent answer. You can begin with either wheat, carrots, or potatoes—whatever seeds you receive initially. All you need is some healthy, well-tilled soil, a source of water, and a little bit of sunshine. Building a fence protects your crops from explosive animals and stomping mobs. When you're ready, try inviting a villager to automate your tube farm with planting and harvesting. Even in the absence of automation, a small farm within travel distance of your home base will ensure you're always well-fed and prepared for whatever adventure lies ahead. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo TOP 5 EARLY GAME FARMS MINECRAFT - (1.20) 2. Animal Breeding Pen: Food, Leather, and Wool on Demand Cooked meat provides superior hunger and saturation stats. Begin by attracting cows, sheep, and chickens into fenced areas with wheat or seeds. While all of these animals are useful to have, cows in particular are useful for leather (which you need for bookshelves and making enchantment items) and sheep are useful for wool. If it takes every five minutes to breed an animal, then you have a nice, continuing food supply. Then, you can add new dispensers or Redstone systems to automate the breeding process and item collection process. 3. Sugar Cane Farm: The Backbone of Enchanting and Trading Sugar cane is deceptively crucial. It's used to craft paper, which is key to making books and trading with librarian villagers. Start your first farm on a river bank or by having some irrigation ditches dug close to your center. Initially, you'll be harvesting it by hand. Eventually, with enough observers and pistons, the process can be completely automated. With a little bit of work, this farm will power your spells and supercharge your emerald production. 4. XP and Mob Drop Farm : Easy Levels and Useful Loot Once you discover even one dungeon with a skeleton or zombie spawner, you are sitting on a goldmine. Using a funnel system made of water flows and trap doors, you can direct mobs into one area for easy XP farming. This farm provides you some experience for enchanting and provides wonderful drops like bones, arrows, and string. It's a little more advanced to produce, but the payoff is definitely worth the production even early in the game. Best XP Farm EVER in Minecraft Bedrock 1.21 (MCPE - Xbox - PS) 5. Iron Farm (Villager-Based): Skip the Mine, Forge Your Future Iron is one of the most versatile materials in Minecraft, from tools to rails to hoppers. A simple iron farm can be established much earlier than you might expect if you're located close to a village. You'll require a minimum of three villagers, a handful of beds and workstations, and a zombie to terrify them into creating Iron Golems. With a kill chamber employing lava or fall damage, you'll have an as-needed, automated, free source of iron ingots. No more searching through dungeons! The earliest stages of Minecraft are very much about building that momentum. From food to building materials, XP to iron, these five farms will have your base running like a well-oiled, self-sufficient machine in no time. The upfront work will be difficult, but investing the time now will open up thousands of hours in future years. Time that could be used to explore, build, and prosper.
