As hunger deepens in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war — with controversy and challenges surrounding aid distribution — OSV News consulted Jennifer Poidatz, acting representative for Catholic Relief Services in Jerusalem, West Bank and Gaza, for an on-the-ground perspective.
CRS is the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Currently in Israel, Poidatz emailed OSV News July 31 after contacting CRS staff in Gaza for responses to our questions.
(Answers have been lightly edited to conform with OSV News style.)
OSV News: What specific food supplies are most critically needed at this point in Gaza?
Poidatz: Ensuring that we meet individual energy requirements is the priority.
Humanitarian standards recommend 2,100 kcals/person/day, and include 10-12% of total energy provided by protein and 17% provided by fat. These standards still apply for groups that are not acutely malnourished, which means we need to prioritize food going in that gives as many calories as possible for (available) space on trucks/volume, and ensuring this includes protein and healthy fat (olive oil, for example).
Dry Food and Canned Goods
Food supplies should include both dry food (to be cooked) and canned goods, and (should) provide greater dietary variety and nutritional balance, which is especially critical for sustained recovery in protracted crises like Gaza.
This includes staple carbohydrate sources such as rice, dry pasta, bulghur wheat, wheat flour (fortified). Protein sources are sorely needed, such as red (and) brown lentils, canned tuna (or other canned meat).
Other prioritized items have been canned hummus and olive oil. If we were to de-prioritize items, it would be anything with “empty calories” (like sugar).
Access to water and fuel should also be provided, but households and communities have found ways to cook food thus far, although far below the required levels.
OSV News: How are you able to use market-based solutions to address at least some of the food needs — for example, by supporting local vendors?
Poidatz: We continue to provide cash-based assistance in partnership with our network of local vendors throughout the Gaza Strip, and this modality of assistance (is) the most effective way of ensuring access to critical food items to Gazans.
Read more: https://www.osvnews.com/crs-staff-working-in-gaza-see-danger-disease-and-dire-need/
By Gina Christian | osvnews
