World Central Kitchen, the charity established by celebrity chef José Andrés, has resumed its meal distribution efforts in Gaza following a seven-week halt due to an Israeli blockade. The organization announced it prepared nearly 10,000 meals on its first day back, signaling a much-needed return to aid delivery after facing a significant shortage of supplies.
The pause in operations began on May 7, when World Central Kitchen could no longer access the ingredients needed to prepare meals or bread, as Israel imposed a stringent aid blockade starting in March. In defending the blockade, Israeli officials claimed it was necessary to prevent Hamas from smuggling weapons and diverting relief supplies. However, such measures have faced scrutiny from the United Nations and other agencies, which argue they amount to collective punishment and have exacerbated the hunger crisis in Gaza.
"Stopping our operations was a devastating moment," stated World Central Kitchen, highlighting that it provided over 133 million meals in the region since October 2023. The charity previously suspended operations for nearly a month due to an incident where Israeli military strikes killed seven workers, drawing global condemnation.
Many families in Gaza are dependent on charitable organizations for sustenance as staple foods dwindle and cooking fuel becomes scarce. While some aid efforts have resumed under a system supported by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, much of the infrastructure remains stalled, with chaotic scenes marking the distributions and reports of deaths as Palestinians vie for limited supplies.
"Far too many people have died while trying to access the trickle of food aid coming in," remarked a representative from the U.N. World Food Program, urging for a drastic increase in food deliveries to stabilize the alarming situation and rebuild trust within affected communities. Despite some aid channels reopening, local bakeries remain inactive due to an inability to manage the overwhelming desperation among the population, according to Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, the head of Gaza's bakers' union.
