Ailsa Chang

The celebrity chef and restaurant owner, Jose Andres, started World Central Kitchen to deliver emergency food aid to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.

It is now one of the biggest and earliest groups to arrive in places affected by disaster and war.

But in Gaza, the organization faced some of its greatest challenges.

On April 1st, 2024, a World Central Kitchen convoy, which included armored vehicles and was clearly marked with the aid group's logo, was hit by an Israeli strike while leaving a warehouse in Gaza on a route coordinated with Israeli forces.

Israel apologized for the attack that killed the workers, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country, quote, "...deeply regrets the tragic incident."

World Central Kitchen paused operations, but eventually resumed them.

Here's more of what Jose Andres told NPR's Morning Edition in 2024.

Last year, World Central Kitchen had to temporarily pause some operations, again, this time due to supply shortages.

The widespread hunger crisis had brought about an official declaration of famine in parts of northern Gaza.

That's according to the world's leading authority on food insecurity.

And now, yes, we promise good news, and here it is.

In recent months, after a ceasefire agreement allowed more goods to enter Gaza, World Central Kitchen has rapidly increased its activity.

And on Wednesday, the organization announced a new daily milestone.

It is now serving one million meals in Gaza every single day.

Consider this.

Those one million daily meals are substantial progress.

But they are going to a region with a pre-war population of more than two million people.

The demand remains.

So after the break, I speak with Jose Andres on the path ahead.

From NPR, I'm Elsa Chang.