Aid group says it has begun operating Gaza community kitchens for first time in 12 weeks

The World Central Kitchen aid group says it was able to resume operations today in Gaza for the first time in 12 weeks after trucks of food assistance reached its teams on the ground.

With food now in its possession, WCK says it has resumed cooking at several community kitchens throughout Gaza where dire food insecurity is widespread.

Almost 10,000 meals were cooked on the first day of resumed operations, WCK says.

Unlike the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has been distributing dry food to Gazans for the past month, WCK provides hot meals to Palestinians in the Strip.

“On May 7, WCK was forced to halt cooking across all large-scale kitchens and our mobile bakery after a complete depletion of food supplies. This pause marked a devastating moment in our response, cutting off a vital source of daily nourishment for families already facing extreme hardship,” WCK says in a statement.

“This first aid shipment is an important milestone, but the effects of prolonged hunger do not disappear overnight. Hunger leaves deep physical and psychological scars—and even as meals begin again, the damage caused by extended access disruptions continues to impact families and communities,” WCK says.