Populations across the Gaza Strip are at risk of famine as fighting has surged again, border crossings are still closed and food is dangerously scarce.

Conflict, displacement, economic deterioration and recurrent extreme weather in West and Central Africa are driving millions of people towards emergency levels of hunger.

The U.N. World Food Programme today warned that escalating violence in northern Gaza is having a disastrous impact on food security for thousands of Palestinian families.

The risk of famine will persist throughout Gaza this winter unless fighting stops and more humanitarian aid reaches families.

WFP warns that the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza could soon escalate into famine unless immediate action is taken.

WFP convoys crossed into Gaza from the north and south on Sunday as the long-awaited ceasefire came into effect.

WFP reached more than 330,000 people in Gaza with food assistance in the first week of the ceasefire, providing food boxes, hot meals and cash assistance to war-weary families.

In the 42 days of the ceasefire starting January 19, WFP delivered over 88 million pounds of food into Gaza and provided lifesaving assistance to 1.3 million people.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are again at risk of extreme hunger and malnutrition as humanitarian food stocks in the Strip dwindle and borders remain closed to aid.