Coping with Food Insecurity in Gaza: The Role of Community-based Initiatives

The war in Gaza has had a profound impact on the availability of food for Palestinians across the Strip. Restrictions on the movement of goods, including food trucks, have led to a dramatic decline in food aid deliveries, exacerbating existing shortages. Formal markets have collapsed, and informal markets dominate transactions, with basic food items becoming scarce and prices soaring. Alongside ongoing attacks by the Israeli military, the extensive destruction of civilian infrastructure, multiple displacements of people, and movement restrictions have created severe challenges for those seeking to access food and other essential goods and services.

Despite these severe challenges, there has been a rise in community-based approaches addressing food shortages. These initiatives, rooted in mutual aid, leverage local knowledge, networks, and resources to enhance food access and promote self-sufficiency. However, there is little empirical data on these community-driven efforts, particularly regarding their effectiveness and potential for broader application.

This research project aims to examine the role of informal social support networks as Palestinians currently cope with acute food insecurity in the face of war and military occupation. Utilising survey data, the project investigates how mutual aid networks are established and sustained, the role of social structures in supporting community-based initiatives and the conditions under which mutual aid is effective in delivering food, including for particularly vulnerable groups.

This project is funded by the LSE Urgency Grant Scheme.

_{A women-led cooperative in Rafah in Gaza uses firewood, in the absence of gas, to cook WFP hot meals for internally displaced Palestinians. (C) WFP/Ali Jadallah}