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Source: World Food Programme (WFP)	15 July 2014

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Highlights

• WFP continues scaling-up its emergency food assistance in response to the increase in the number of displaced people in Gaza. WFP, in cooperation with UNRWA, has provided approximately 17,000 people in shelters with emergency food rations and is ready to reach newly displaced people.
• WFP is providing emergency food vouchers to 215 displaced families, or around 1,290 people, who are hosted at relatives' houses. As of 16 July, WFP is scaling-up its assistance to reach additional people. WFP in cooperation with Oxfam GB is preparing 3,000 additional emergency food vouchers to reach additional displaced people.
• Patients and staff in hospitals have been assisted with bread parcels and tuna.

GAZA

• More than 2,250 pre-programmed emergency food vouchers have been delivered to WFP's Gaza office to be ready to respond to any increased needs of displaced families who are being housed by relatives. In case there is no connectivity, WFP can move back from the electronic to a manual vouchers system.
• The total commercial stock of wheat in Gaza is sufficient to cover the needs of the entire Gazan population for approximately 19 days.
• WFP contracted bakeries are on standby to produce additional bread when requested. WFP also has an emergency stock of tuna of 134 mt which would feed more than 50,000 people for 21 days.
• Stocks of WFP commodities at cooperating partners' warehouses and bakeries are around 2,355 mt, which could be utilized to meet emergency needs. These stocks can meet the needs of WFP's 177,000 in-kind beneficiaries for around eighteen days.
• As a contingency, WFP has access to 4,750 mt of excess wheat flour stored at local mills in Gaza. Together with available wheat grain, the excess wheat will cover the needs of WFP's 177,000 beneficiaries in Gaza for approximately two months.

• The total stock of commercial staple foods available in the West Bank is sufficient to feed the entire West Bank population for one month in the event of a complete closure - until now the flow of commodities has not been interrupted.
• WFP's current stock of wheat is 4,895 mt, sufficient to cover WFP's in-kind caseload of 193,000 people for 4.5 months
• Stocks of other WFP commodities in the West Bank is 1358 mt and can meet the needs of WFP's 193,000 in-kind beneficiaries for 4.5-5 months.
• In case of an emergency, WFP also has access to an additional 6,000 mt wheat flour. The excess flour will cover the needs of WFP's 193,000 beneficiaries in the West Bank for approximately 5 months.
• WFP has programmed 500 emergency vouchers for the West Bank, 250 for Hebron governorate and 250 for Nablus governorate, as a contingency and is prepared to move from electronic vouchers to a manual system in case connectivity is limited.

GAZA

Emergency response:

• WFP in cooperation with UNRWA, assists 17,000 people displaced in shelters with emergency food rations of canned tuna and bread. The number of displaced people in UNRWA shelters as of 15 July has reached 20,000. WFP has scaled-up its assistance to meet the needs of the newly displaced people.
• In cooperation with Oxfam GB, WFP is distributing emergency food vouchers to displaced families whose houses were destroyed or severely damaged and who are staying at relatives. A total of 215 families (1,290 people) have been reached with vouchers. As of 16 July, WFP will reach more than 310 families (1,860 people) with vouchers. All families receive a voucher with a monthly value of 240 NIS. WFP and Oxfam are scaling-up voucher assistance and have prepared 3,000 additional emergency vouchers.
• WFP continues to provide food assistance to hospitals. The July-August distribution cycle to institutions, including hospitals, which was planned to start in the first week of August, commenced on the 13 July to meet the immediate needs.
• WFP is also reaching the additional caseload of patients resulting form the upsurge of violence and hospital staff with additional food assistance.
• Until date, WFP is reaching approximately 2,040 patients and hospital staff with bread parcels and canned tuna. A more comprehensive assistance package for health facilities is under preparation.

• All General Food Distributions for the May-June cycle in Gaza, reaching 177,000 people, were completed end of June. WFP targeted households have sufficient food in their homes through August.
• The July-August distribution cycle in Gaza will start in the first week of August. WFP has replenished its in-kind food stocks in Gaza in preparation for the August distribution cycle and as a contingency for unforeseen needs.

• All beneficiaries have redeemed their entitlements for the second week of July and have started redeeming their entitlements for the current week.
• Previous monitoring of WFP voucher shops has showed that shopkeepers keep up to two months of stocks, except for dairy products, which need to be replenished by-weekly.
• Voucher shops are currently operating on a daily basis from 10:00 am until 8:00 pm. The required connectivity for the electronic voucher is generally available.

General food distributions:

• General Food Distributions for the April-June cycle in the West Bank, targeting 193,000 people, have been finalized.
• The July-September distribution cycle in the West Bank will start in the first week of August.

• WFP continues to assess the impact of the situation in the West Bank on the voucher programme. So far no shortages have been reported.

Due to the current security situation in Gaza, WFP's monitoring activities have been restricted. Monitoring in the West Bank is ongoing.

GAZA

Basic commodities:

• With the ongoing air raids most markets are closed. Until now basic commodities are still available.
• According to traders and shop owners the stock of all basic commodities in Gaza will last at least for two months, except for wheat flour.

• The three WFP contracted bakeries and other public bakeries are operating normally.
• Fuel stock at WFP contracted bakeries: Al Bann and Ajour bakeries have a stock that covers their needs for 60 days. Al Jonoub bakery has a stock to cover their needs for at least 30 days.
• All mills are still working and have reported a fuel stock of at least one and up to two months.

• Importers of dairy products from the West Bank have a stock for two weeks. Local dairy products are also available and could cover shortages in Gaza in the event of a closure of Kerem Shalom cargo crossing - noting that the crossing is currently still open.

Streets in Gaza are empty and most shops are closed, except for shops that sell basic commodities. People only leave their house to buy essential needs, particularly food and medicine.

WEST BANK

Basic commodities:

• The food security situation in the West Bank remains stable. No price changes or shortages were noted for basic commodities.
• Purchase levels during Ramadan are lower than in previous years due to the uncertainty about the security situation.
• Market analysis only shows a small increase in the price of rice as well as a slight increase in the prices of tomato and chicken.

• Wheat is widely available and fluctuations are not expected. Bakeries are also functioning as usual.

• Dairy products are available, but producers in the Hebron area reported a drop in sales of up to 30 percent over the past weeks due to access restrictions.
• Dairy producers shifted to increased production of long shelf-life products to minimize losses.

• The FSS Emergency Preparedness Working Group has defined basic emergency actions for a coordinated response. FSS members are meeting emergency needs of the affected people in Gaza.
• The FSS Emergency Preparedness working group is meeting on 16 July to further prepare an in-depth food security needs assessment. The assessment will take place as soon as the circumstances in Gaza allow.
• In case of large-scale displacement as a result of increased violence, WFP remains ready for the activation of the clusters under its responsibility.

• WFP's core humanitarian programmes in Palestine are facing critical funding shortfalls. The estimated funding requirements for all operations until the end of 2014 are US$ 20 million: US$ 5 million in Gaza and US$ 15 million in the West Bank.
• Any additional needs as a result of the emergency in Gaza will require additional resources.

• Rossella Fanelli Head of External Relations Email: Rossella.fanelli@wfp.org Tel: [+972] 2 5401340 2210

  Yasmine Abuelassal Donor Relations Email: Yasmin.abuelassal@wfp.org Tel: [+972] 2 5401340 2215

  Colin Kampschöer Reports Officer Email: Colin.kampschoer@wfp.org Tel: [+972] 54 677 3136

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