WFP Chief Cindy McCain Visits Gaza, Demanding Israel Allow Surge Of Food Aid

Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Program, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.Cindy McCain, who leads the United Nations’ food program, said on Thursday that the level of destruction, desperation and hunger she witnessed while visiting starving Gaza begs for Israel to allow an immediate surge of humanitarian assistance into the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.The visit by the World Food Program’s executive director came just days after a major report by food security experts concluded that Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, is experiencing the highest level of famine as a result of Israel’s destruction of the territory and its ongoing blockade of most humanitarian aid.“Gaza is at a breaking point. Desperation is soaring – and I saw it firsthand,” McCain said in a statement. “We must urgently be able to revive our vast and trusted network of 200 food distribution points across the Strip, community kitchens and bakeries. It is urgent that the right conditions are in place so we can reach the most vulnerable and save lives.”#Gaza is at a breaking point. I've just seen it myself.@WFP operates in conflict zones all over the world. Families in Gaza are starving—and we know how to deliver at scale.We must revive our network of 200+ food distribution points, community kitchens & bakeries ASAP.— Cindy McCain (@WFPChief) August 28, 2025The WFP chief said she visited Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, where she stopped by a nutrition clinic and met with displaced Palestinian mothers who spoke of the often impossible task of acquiring food for their families – sometimes even resorting to searching for scraps in order to keep their children alive.“I met starving children receiving treatment for severe malnutrition – and I saw photos of when they were healthy. Today they are unrecognizable,” said McCain, who has regularly spoken out against the man-made starvation crisis.Most Palestinians have been trekking south in hopes of getting food from the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, where Israeli soldiers and American mercenaries conduct daily massacres of starving civilians. Many Palestinians there die eitherby GHF gunfire or by succumbing to their treatable wounds because Israel’s obliteration of Gaza’s health care infrastructure has made it significantly harder for doctors to provide lifesaving care.After global backlash to its weaponization of food – a violation of international humanitarian law – Israel said it will temporarily allow aid groups to bring in a trickle of assistance. The WFP said there has been a “slight uptick” in aid over the past two weeks that averages around 100 trucks per day, though the agency said the amount is nowhere near enough to support the enclave’s population.“Half a million people here in Gaza are starving, many more are on the edge,” McCain said. “The desperation is overwhelming. We can reach them. We need safe routes and sustained access. We must deliver at the scale this crisis demands.”Nail Hani Abu Shelbi, a 4-year-old who lost both his vision and hearing and was paralyzed by shrapnel pieces that hit his head during the Israeli attack on his home in Deir al-Balah, is held at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital on Aug. 27, 2025. Nial also suffers from malnutrition due to a lack of treatment and medication.In addition to visiting Gaza, McCain visited the occupied West Bank to meet Mohammad Mustafa, the prime minister of the State of Palestine. She also met in Israel with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as leaders from the military and aid coordination agency COGAT, to discuss the state of humanitarian efforts in Gaza. COGAT has maintained that Palestinians are receiving sufficient aid, despite evidence showing otherwise, and Netanyahu continues to deny that there is famine in Gaza. He has, however, spoken out about images Hamas released showing a visibly malnourished hostage.McCain warned that if Israel does not allow an immediate surge of aid into the territory, Deir al-Balah will receive a famine classification next month similar to that of Gaza City. She also stressed that Gaza’s famine, engineered by Israel, would worsen malnutrition for both Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages in the territory.“What we need is a ceasefire,” she said. “We can quickly scale-up humanitarian aid to reach the most vulnerable inside Gaza, support the return of all hostages and lay the foundation for peace and stability.”Related...'This Is A Moral Outrage': UK Government Reacts With Horror As Famine Declared In GazaFamine In Gaza Is Underway Amid Israel's US-Backed Siege, Experts ConfirmMadonna Urges Pope Leo To Help The Children Of Gaza 'Before It's Too Late'

Comments

Breaking news

Lost diver found alive 100 miles and a continent away

Metro

Proud mum Katie Price shares her delight at buying daughter Princess her first Pornstar Martini after she celebrated her 18th birthday

about 3 hours ago

Dailymail

Child is pepper-sprayed by police at anti-migrant protest in Canary Wharf and cop is punched in the face as violence erupts in wake of Epping hotel ruling

about 3 hours ago

Dailymail

Police hunt knifeman after two 'connected' stabbings on separate days at one of London's busiest Tube stations

about 3 hours ago

Dailymail

Eamonn Holmes, 65, 'lavishes girlfriend Katie Alexander, 43, with luxury holidays and VIP outings in a bid to save their rocky relationship - after backing out of buying her a £550K home'

about 3 hours ago

Dailymail

Teen used ChatGPT for homework help... it ended up persuading him to take his own life, lawsuit claims

about 3 hours ago

Dailymail

Majorca and Ibiza are 'preparing UK-style asylum seeker hotels' as number of small boat migrants arriving on Balearic shores surges

about 3 hours ago

Donald Trump continues to defy nasty health rumours as he heads out to play golf for second day in a row

Dailymail

‘I only see harm coming’: Top CDC official who quit over RFK Jr policies says he fears more attacks on vaccines still to come

about 4 hours ago

Police officer punched in face as masked protesters with children march through London shopping centre

Skynews

As gold prices soar, this is exactly how you can rake in the cash by selling your old jewellery - even if it's broken, by top pawnbroker

about 4 hours ago

Comments

Breaking news

Lost diver found alive 100 miles and a continent away

Police officer ‘punched in face’ during clashes with anti-migrant mob

Tropical Storm Kiko forms in eastern Pacific Ocean; no immediate threat to land

Police officer punched as masked anti-asylum protesters march through Canary Wharf shopping centre

'Weapons' regains the top spot as the summer box office winds down

Newsom derides Kristi Noem claim that LA ‘wouldn’t be standing today’ had Trump not sent in the National Guard

‘We fear we are next’: Palestinian journalists in Gaza targeted by Israeli smear campaigns

Anti-slavery commissioner launches investigation into 'pimping websites'

Karen Gillan rocks air guitar at US Open with husband Nick ahead of Highlander role

Donald Trump breaks silence after rumours of death circulated online

'Beautiful' young mum killed in horror crash with HGV as family pay tribute

Boy, 11, pepper-sprayed by cops at migrant hotel protest in shopping mall

Proud mum Katie Price shares her delight at buying daughter Princess her first Pornstar Martini after she celebrated her 18th birthday

Child is pepper-sprayed by police at anti-migrant protest in Canary Wharf and cop is punched in the face as violence erupts in wake of Epping hotel ruling

Police hunt knifeman after two 'connected' stabbings on separate days at one of London's busiest Tube stations

Eamonn Holmes, 65, 'lavishes girlfriend Katie Alexander, 43, with luxury holidays and VIP outings in a bid to save their rocky relationship - after backing out of buying her a £550K home'

Teen used ChatGPT for homework help... it ended up persuading him to take his own life, lawsuit claims

Majorca and Ibiza are 'preparing UK-style asylum seeker hotels' as number of small boat migrants arriving on Balearic shores surges

Donald Trump continues to defy nasty health rumours as he heads out to play golf for second day in a row

Experts predict Millie Bobby Brown, 21, could inspire Gen Z and millennials to adopt

Mom 'intentionally' left 15-month-old baby in sweltering 95F car to die while she worked

Head-on crash between police van and prison bus kills 14 in Namibia

Viral 'Seagull Boy' judges screeching competition

'I'm not Messi' - Rodri's back but what is wrong at Man City?

Four arrested at anti-asylum hotel protest

Two arrested over 'racial assault' in park after video circulates online

'Radical rethink needed' over ship lookouts after North Sea crash

Boy Shot During ‘Ding Dong Ditch’ Prank in Houston

Israel Says It Killed Abu Obeida, Spokesman for Hamas’s Armed Wing

Chicago’s Mayor Rejects Trump’s Plans to Send Troops to His City

British veteran dead after friends ‘took turns shooting each other’ with helmets on

Greta Thunberg wears ‘We are all Palestine Action’ shirt on journey to Gaza

Norway picks UK to build its new warships in £10,000,000,000 deal

British woman ‘entangled in love triangle’ stabbed to death in Cambodia

Moment man pulled out of Bentley after ploughing into tube station entrance

Blood thinner could be more effective than common drug at preventing heart attacks

Schoolboy, 12, pictured after being killed in park incident as family pay tribute

Two women killed, one badly injured in Labor Day weekend boating tragedy off Maine

Putin given the red carpet treatment as he discusses Trump talks with Xi on sidelines of China summit

Voices: The truth about 7 October deserved to be told. Let it be told about Gaza, too

Court hearing set Sunday on US efforts to deport some Guatemalan children

‘I only see harm coming’: Top CDC official who quit over RFK Jr policies says he fears more attacks on vaccines still to come

Police officer punched in face as masked protesters with children march through London shopping centre

Boy, 12, who died in playground incident at park named

Glasgow shipyard to build Norwegian navy warships in £10bn deal

Lewis Capaldi says stars lied about checking in on him during health break

Schoolboy who died in park fall named as dad says 'heart has been ripped in two'

Meghan Markle's 'wise' move is 'all about her' - Prince Harry has no place

'I lost 4st on weight loss drug Mounjaro - but it's ruined my life after severe side effects'

​People from ethnic minority backgrounds 'almost twice as likely to face hunger'

Princess Diana's brother's heartbreaking 'impossible' post on 28th anniversary

Boy 'flung from roundabout' to his death in second fatal incident at playground

Three arrested at asylum hotel protest 'with kids present' as officer punched

'I make hundreds on Vinted - this one hidden loophole could see sellers lose out on cash'

New pill costing just 4p shown to slash heart attack risk better than aspirin

Brit woman stabbed to death in Cambodia after she's 'caught up in love triangle'

Heart conditions picked up 'within seconds' using new device

Donald Trump breaks his silence with first post since flurry of 'dead' rumours

Man and schoolboy killed in mysterious crash after car 'drives off the road'

As gold prices soar, this is exactly how you can rake in the cash by selling your old jewellery - even if it's broken, by top pawnbroker

People from ethnic minority backgrounds 'almost twice as likely to face hunger'