This photo shows a Palestinian child in Rafah waiting in line among the rubble of destroyed buildings to receive food aid on Feb. 10, 2024. (Photo by Anadolu)

United Nations, September 10 (RHC)-- The World Food Program (WFP) has sounded the alarm that 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza are still in "urgent" need of food aid after 11 months of war.

In a tweet posted on Monday, the UN aid agency emphasized once more that "a ceasefire is needed!"  And 2.2 million people are still in urgent need of food & livelihood assistance.

Despite @WFP’s commitment to deliver aid, evacuation orders are hindering our efforts, and needs are on the rise.

A ceasefire is needed! pic.twitter.com/uHJAPFnchd

— WFP in the Middle East & North Africa (@WFP_MENA) September 9, 2024

According to stats released by the WFP, 96 percent of the population of Gaza is facing acute food insecurity, with 2.15 million people at crisis levels of hunger or worse, as the Israeli regime is using famine as a weapon of war.

Furthermore, the WFP says almost half a million people in Gaza are in "Catastrophic conditions."  "Increased food deliveries to the north and nutrition services have helped to reduce the very worst levels of hunger. However, a high risk of famine persists across the whole Gaza Strip, as long as the conflict continues," it said, adding that  UN relief operations are severely affected by the escalation of violence in the south and center of Gaza.

The WFP criticized the Israeli regime for limiting the flow of humanitarian assistance and the worrying security vacuum and lawlessness in the south.  It said despite the dire conditions it is providing assistance to over 1 million people across Gaza each month.

The World Food Program added that the Israeli regime's restriction on aid entering southern and central Gaza has forced the UN agency to provide reduced rations and prioritize providing hot meals, especially to newly displaced families from the city of Rafah in the south of the Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip. 

The UN food agency pointed out that in order to achieve a breakthrough and prevent famine, adequate and sustained levels of humanitarian assistance must be provided.  It also highlighted the importance of "law and order" for an effective humanitarian response to meet soaring needs.

The Israeli regime launched a genocidal war on Gaza in early October last year, killing over 40,970 defenses Palestinians trapped in the hands of Tel Aviv's war machine on the besieged Palestinian land.