Cash Assistance in Gaza: November 2025

Humanitarian food assistance continued to be the primary food source for the majority of people in Gaza through early November, based on the latest available data. While cash-based assistance still constitutes a relatively small proportion of food assistance being delivered, both the number of households receiving cash-based assistance and the share of total assistance consisting of cash have increased substantially since September. However, the lack of liquidity for both traders and households and the slow recovery of market infrastructure and the financial system remain key barriers to expanding the role and effectiveness of cash in the humanitarian response in Gaza. 

Humanitarian food assistance in the Gaza Strip continues to be predominantly in-kind. However, cash-based assistance constitutes a growing share of total food assistance delivered. 

• The primary forms of cash-based assistance include e-wallet cash-based assistance from WFP, multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA) distributed by partners of the Cash Working Group (CWG), and cash for food distributed by food security sector (FSS) partners.
• Between October 1-31, WFP reportedly distributed e-wallet transfers to 245,304 people, over three times as many people as in September 1-30 (75,140). Similarly, according to the CWG, MPCA reached 93,000 households (465,000 individuals, assuming 5 people per household) between October 10-November 19. This is a substantial scale-up from the 28,200 households CWG partners reportedly reached in August and September.
• Cash for food assistance is increasing, but at a substantially smaller scale than other forms of cash assistance and in-kind food distributions. The FSS dashboard indicates that in August, only 0.13 percent of food assistance was cash for food (696 people) compared with 531,400 people receiving food parcels. By September, the share of cash for food increased slightly to 1.78 percent (6,945 people), while 382,400 people received in-kind support. While data on cash for food are not yet available for October and November, field reports indicate that the cash for food distributions continue to increase. 

The financial sector remains heavily constrained due to the long-term impacts of the war, though it has slowly begun to recover in October and November following the start of the ceasefire. 

• In November, financial conditions began to improve with expanded digital payment channels and improved banking services. According to the Palestine Monetary Authority, in November, five banks (out of 10 prior to October 2023) are operational through nine branches (out of 56 branches prior to October 2023), nearly doubling the operating branches open in October 2025.
• The CWG reports that banks are beginning to open new accounts, reactivate frozen accounts, and issue digital wallets, and financial service providers have restarted creating e-wallets. Additionally, cash withdrawal commission fees have dropped from 35-40 percent in September to 19 percent in November. However, these fees remain high relative to pre-war periods.
• Cash availability remains scarce. According to the Palestine Monetary Authority, Gaza continues to face a severe cash shortage due to the destruction and lack of physical financial assets, including bank vaults and ATMs. Cash inflows remain severely constrained, and periodic insecurity and the extensive infrastructure damage continue to limit safe cash distribution and the full restoration of financial infrastructure.

Commercial food supply in Gaza has scaled up since the October ceasefire:

• According to WFP, 2,339 commercial trucks entered the Strip in October, more than double the 1,113 trucks in September. By November 7, 1,008 commercial trucks had already entered, averaging 144 trucks per day, up from 75 per day in October and 37 per day in September.
• In the period between October 27-November 9, at least 71 percent of the recorded commercial trucks comprised either food items, fruits and vegetables, or frozen food and eggs. However, limited information is available on the contents or metric tonnage of commercial supplies entering to conduct a more in-depth supply analysis. 

Market functionality has improved since the ceasefire: 

• FSS partner reports suggest that several larger marketplaces in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah, and Khan Younis are operating despite the severe infrastructure damage. However, despite improvements in market supply and functionality, retailers reportedly continue to face issues with restocking, in part due to limited retailer liquidity.
• Other persistent challenges, including sewage overflow, congestion, and reliance on temporary market stalls, also constrain operations.
• While there are functional markets accepting e‑wallet payments, infrastructure and access limitations, low supply, and restricted household liquidity continue to limit overall market efficiency and the ability of households to take full advantage of available goods.
• The relative increase in commercial supply and operational markets has improved food access, but ongoing liquidity and infrastructure constraints continue to limit households’ ability to meet their dietary needs.

For additional background on the use of cash assistance in Gaza as of October 2025, see the Gaza FEWS NET Analysis Note October 2025: Utility of Cash Assistance in Gaza, 2025.