UN agency slashes Gaza food 'lifeline' over funding shortfall

The World Food Programme confirmed it would end monthly assistance to 500,000 people in Gaza due to a funding shortfall, despite acute needs in the war-battered Palestinian territory.



With the cutbacks, 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza - still about half the population - will be receiving either food or cash assistance each month from the UN agency, in reduced amounts.



The World Food Programme said its efforts had mitigated the effects during a famine last year in Gaza - an evaluation of the situation disputed by Israel - and warned that conditions had not improved to the point that it can take away aid.



According to the latest assessments, 1.4 million people - or two-thirds of Gaza's population - are still "acutely food insecure" and need humanitarian assistance to survive.