June 23, 2025, 10:28 a.m. ET
In a significant move for thousands of families in Gaza, World Central Kitchen (WCK), the humanitarian organization founded by Chef José Andrés, has restarted its meal distribution operations after pausing for nearly seven weeks due to an aid blockade enforced by Israeli authorities. This resumption comes after the charity managed to deliver supplies to its teams in Gaza for the first time in over three months.
On Saturday, WCK cooked approximately 10,000 meals, marking a hopeful return to service amidst dire conditions in the enclave. The organization had halted operations on May 7 when it ran out of resources for both cooking and baking due to the blockade, which began in March and restricted deliveries across the region. Israeli officials attributed the blockade to security concerns, alleging that Hamas was diverting aid to support its military capabilities. However, the United Nations and other humanitarian groups have sharply criticized these measures, labeling them as collective punishment and emphasizing the resulting humanitarian crises and hunger.
“Ceasing our efforts was devastating, cutting off essential nourishment for families already facing extreme hardship,” WCK stated, highlighting that they had served more than 133 million meals in Gaza since October 2023. The organization previously faced tragedy in their operations when an Israeli military strike killed seven of their team members, generating international outrage and sparking significant scrutiny of the military's protocols.
Despite the restart of WCK's operations, much of Gaza’s broader aid infrastructure remains compromised. While Israel has commenced a system for limited aid distributions since mid-May, chaos continues. Reports indicate that numerous Palestinians have died while attempting to access these food packages. "Far too many people have died while trying to access the trickle of food aid coming in," stated the U.N. World Food Program, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced food distribution efforts to stabilize the community and restore confidence in the continuity of aid.
Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, head of Gaza’s bakers’ union, revealed that U.N.-backed kitchens are still inactive due to the overwhelming desperation of the population, making it exceedingly difficult to manage operations amid the turmoil and scarcity.
World Central Kitchen's return to Gaza is a glimmer of hope amid a dire humanitarian crisis, yet the challenges ahead remain substantial as the need for a more robust and sustainable aid infrastructure grows increasingly critical.
In a significant move for thousands of families in Gaza, World Central Kitchen (WCK), the humanitarian organization founded by Chef José Andrés, has restarted its meal distribution operations after pausing for nearly seven weeks due to an aid blockade enforced by Israeli authorities. This resumption comes after the charity managed to deliver supplies to its teams in Gaza for the first time in over three months.
On Saturday, WCK cooked approximately 10,000 meals, marking a hopeful return to service amidst dire conditions in the enclave. The organization had halted operations on May 7 when it ran out of resources for both cooking and baking due to the blockade, which began in March and restricted deliveries across the region. Israeli officials attributed the blockade to security concerns, alleging that Hamas was diverting aid to support its military capabilities. However, the United Nations and other humanitarian groups have sharply criticized these measures, labeling them as collective punishment and emphasizing the resulting humanitarian crises and hunger.
“Ceasing our efforts was devastating, cutting off essential nourishment for families already facing extreme hardship,” WCK stated, highlighting that they had served more than 133 million meals in Gaza since October 2023. The organization previously faced tragedy in their operations when an Israeli military strike killed seven of their team members, generating international outrage and sparking significant scrutiny of the military's protocols.
Despite the restart of WCK's operations, much of Gaza’s broader aid infrastructure remains compromised. While Israel has commenced a system for limited aid distributions since mid-May, chaos continues. Reports indicate that numerous Palestinians have died while attempting to access these food packages. "Far too many people have died while trying to access the trickle of food aid coming in," stated the U.N. World Food Program, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced food distribution efforts to stabilize the community and restore confidence in the continuity of aid.
Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, head of Gaza’s bakers’ union, revealed that U.N.-backed kitchens are still inactive due to the overwhelming desperation of the population, making it exceedingly difficult to manage operations amid the turmoil and scarcity.
World Central Kitchen's return to Gaza is a glimmer of hope amid a dire humanitarian crisis, yet the challenges ahead remain substantial as the need for a more robust and sustainable aid infrastructure grows increasingly critical.
