Food Assistance Fact Sheet - West Bank/Gaza

October 10, 2012

Food Security Situation 

CIA World Factbook

• Since 1994 the U.S. Government, through USAID, has provided more than $3.4 billion in U.S. economic and development assistance to Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, making the United States the leading bilateral donor to Palestinians. 

• In 2007, the Israeli imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip that restricted imports and exports to and from the territory. Palestinians continue to experience a decline in their living standards and a regression of the economy due to internal and external movement restrictions, limited control over natural resources, and restricted access to local and international markets.

• WFP has been providing the most vulnerable Palestinians with ‘digital food’ through an electronic voucher system that allows people to redeem their electronic coupons through a swipe card in selected shops. This allows for a more diversified range of food items.

Food Assistance Programs

• The Office of Food for Peace (FFP) now targets approximately 86,940 food-insecure, non-refugee Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and 10,620 food-insecure, non-refugee Palestinians in the West Bank.

• FFP partners with the UN World Food Program (WFP) to provide general food distribution and food vouchers throughout the West Bank and Gaza. 

Food for Peace Contributions

Total Contributions:

Fiscal Year 2012 Contribution Breakdown:

Note: EFSP: Emergency Food Security Program; FY: Fiscal Year; MT: Metric Ton; USD: U.S. Dollar; WFP: World Food Program
Food Security Situation information provided by UNICEF and WFP as of January 2012.