UN agencies and humanitarian organizations express concern over the continued disruptions in aid delivery, as World Central Kitchen resumes operations after a near two-month pause, significantly impacting hunger relief in the region.
World Central Kitchen Resumes Vital Operations in Gaza Amid Ongoing Blockade
World Central Kitchen Resumes Vital Operations in Gaza Amid Ongoing Blockade
After a lengthy hiatus, the charity led by Chef José Andrés is back to providing essential meals to families in Gaza, facing severe food shortages due to the Israeli blockade.
June 23, 2025 - World Central Kitchen, the humanitarian organization founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, has recommenced its essential food distribution efforts in Gaza, following a nearly seven-week break due to the ongoing blockade imposed by Israel. Starting operations again on Saturday, the charity prepared close to 10,000 meals on its first day back, marking a significant moment for the relief efforts in an area grappling with acute food shortages.
World Central Kitchen halted its activities on May 7, citing a complete depletion of cooking supplies and ingredients, stemming from a comprehensive blockade that Israel maintained over Gaza since the beginning of March. Officials in Israel justify this blockade as a precaution against Hamas, suggesting it is necessary to prevent weapon smuggling or the diversion of aid resources. However, many international organizations, including the United Nations, have condemned the situation, arguing that the blockade represents a form of collective punishment, leading to an escalating hunger crisis without concrete evidence of aid diversion by Hamas.
In a released statement, World Central Kitchen reflected on the devastating consequences of their operational pause, emphasizing that it severed a crucial lifeline for families already enduring extreme hardships. Since October 2023, the charity has reportedly delivered over 133 million meals to those in need within Gaza. Previous challenges have included the tragic loss of seven of its workers last year, resulting from an Israeli military strike on a convoy, which prompted worldwide outcry and led to an inquiry that found faults in military communication protocols.
While World Central Kitchen has resumed its vital work, the broader humanitarian aid landscape in Gaza remains largely paralyzed, compounded by difficulties surrounding the new distribution systems introduced in mid-May. The humanitarian group Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been attempting to facilitate aid deliveries, but their efforts have met with chaos and tragedy, including reports of Palestinian fatalities amidst desperate attempts to secure basic food supplies.
In remarks by the U.N. World Food Program, the situation is described as dire, with an urgent need for an expanded and organized food distribution system to alleviate pressures on the community and reestablish trust that additional aid is forthcoming. Still, local leaders, such as Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami from Gaza’s bakers’ union, have voiced concerns, highlighting the inability of bakeries to operate due to widespread desperation among the population, exacerbating the crisis further.
World Central Kitchen halted its activities on May 7, citing a complete depletion of cooking supplies and ingredients, stemming from a comprehensive blockade that Israel maintained over Gaza since the beginning of March. Officials in Israel justify this blockade as a precaution against Hamas, suggesting it is necessary to prevent weapon smuggling or the diversion of aid resources. However, many international organizations, including the United Nations, have condemned the situation, arguing that the blockade represents a form of collective punishment, leading to an escalating hunger crisis without concrete evidence of aid diversion by Hamas.
In a released statement, World Central Kitchen reflected on the devastating consequences of their operational pause, emphasizing that it severed a crucial lifeline for families already enduring extreme hardships. Since October 2023, the charity has reportedly delivered over 133 million meals to those in need within Gaza. Previous challenges have included the tragic loss of seven of its workers last year, resulting from an Israeli military strike on a convoy, which prompted worldwide outcry and led to an inquiry that found faults in military communication protocols.
While World Central Kitchen has resumed its vital work, the broader humanitarian aid landscape in Gaza remains largely paralyzed, compounded by difficulties surrounding the new distribution systems introduced in mid-May. The humanitarian group Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has been attempting to facilitate aid deliveries, but their efforts have met with chaos and tragedy, including reports of Palestinian fatalities amidst desperate attempts to secure basic food supplies.
In remarks by the U.N. World Food Program, the situation is described as dire, with an urgent need for an expanded and organized food distribution system to alleviate pressures on the community and reestablish trust that additional aid is forthcoming. Still, local leaders, such as Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami from Gaza’s bakers’ union, have voiced concerns, highlighting the inability of bakeries to operate due to widespread desperation among the population, exacerbating the crisis further.
