New York: The United Nations today announced an initiative to ramp up food distribution for embattled Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where a military offensive launched by Israel in response to Hamas rocket attacks entered its 16th day.
Operation Lifeline Gaza , a World Food Programme (WFP) initiative, is aimed to provide ready-to-eat, culturally acceptable food to hundreds of thousands of people caught in the conflict.
"We are proposing an immediate, innovative solution to hunger in an unusually challenging situation, where many people are suffering from a complete breakdown in access to food and clean water," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.
"Even in the limited windows of opportunity when we can distribute food, we have to remember that many people lack the means to cook and prepare meals for their families," said Sheeran, who went to the Egyptian border with Gaza on Friday.
"We are in the business of feeding hungry people in difficult situations - in earthquake zones, droughts, or after Tsunamis - but Gaza presents one of the toughest challenges we have faced because access to the hungry is so limited," said Sheeran.
Sheeran announced Operation Lifeline Gaza after meeting yesterday with the head of the Egyptian Red Crescent, Suzanne Mubarak, and the Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry, Rachid Mohamed Rachid.
