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Bakeries across the Gaza Strip were forced to cease operations on Tuesday as they became unable to procure flour and diesel, amidst an ongoing Israeli blockade that has lasted for over a month, severely restricting food and aid into the area.
Abdel Nasser Al-Ajrami, the president of the Bakery Owners Association in Gaza, confirmed that the closure of the remaining 19 bakeries—previously supported by the World Food Program (WFP)—means there are no operational bakeries left in the region.
“We urge the international community to apply pressure on the occupying forces to open the crossings and prevent the worsening of famine in the Strip,” stated Al-Ajrami.
According to Amjad Al-Shawa, the general manager of a Palestinian NGO network based in Gaza, the closures were attributed to a critical lack of essential supplies, specifically flour and diesel.
Al-Shawa indicated that the area has entered a dire “worst stage” of conflict, exacerbated by the ongoing suspension of aid that further deteriorates living conditions for the population, many of whom are newly displaced and face continuous bombardment.
“Gaza is confronting an unprecedented humanitarian crisis,” Al-Shawa relayed to CBC News journalist Mohamed El Saife on Tuesday.
He cautioned that this situation is poised to severely impact the lives of the Gazan populace, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, women, and the elderly.
Aid Has Been Restricted for Four Weeks
Since March 2, Israel has barred humanitarian assistance from entering Gaza, justifying the blockade as a strategy to coerce the Palestinian militant organization Hamas into releasing hostages. Rights organizations have condemned this practice, equating it to a potential war crime.
This four-week blockade has effectively cut off all access to vital provisions including food, fuel, and medical supplies for civilians—marking the longest sustained closure in the 17-month conflict with Hamas. As a result, the territory is also grappling with a critical shortage of clean drinking water after the last working desalination plant lost access to Israel’s electricity supply, subsequently relying on backup generators and solar solutions.
In response to the dwindling resources, the WFP announced it would focus its limited food stocks on emergency food assistance and expand hot meal distributions, revealing its inability to provide flour to the bakeries it previously supported.
For weeks, United Nations agencies have been sounding alarms regarding the scarcity of food supplies, warning that a famine could ensue if the blockade persists, especially impacting the roughly two million people in Gaza. Previously, six bakeries had already shut down due to the blockade’s constraints.
Officials predict additional closures of community kitchens—vital for supplying hundreds of thousands of meals to families in Gaza—could occur imminently, as Al-Shawa disclosed.
The bakeries forced to close had served hundreds of thousands of residents, as indicated by an internal memorandum shared among aid organizations earlier this week.
The WFP noted that its available stocks are depleting rapidly, with insufficient wheat flour for bread production, and emphasized that it has already distributed all remaining food rations.
Aid Organizations Warn of a Profound Increase in Hunger
According to the UN agency, it is now prioritizing its dwindling stocks for emergency aid distribution while also attempting to widen its hot meal services. Aid workers have been extending their limited supplies but caution of a catastrophic rise in severe hunger and malnutrition among the population.
Despite these dire warnings from aid groups, Israeli authorities deny that there is a shortage, asserting sufficient supplies were delivered to Gaza during a six-week ceasefire period with Hamas, which they claim would last for “an extended duration.”
The Israeli military body responsible for civilian matters in Palestinian territories, COGAT, reported on Tuesday that more than 25,000 trucks entered Gaza during the ceasefire period, delivering nearly 450,000 tons of aid—this amount reportedly covers roughly one third of total aid supplied throughout the duration of the entire conflict.
WATCH | Families share struggles of food scarcity in Gaza:
‘We’re living off of canned food,’ Gaza family says as Ramadan approaches its end
As the blockade extends into a month, families observing Ramadan are increasingly challenged to find food amid rapidly diminishing supplies and escalating prices. UN agencies and humanitarian groups contend they faced significant obstacles in delivering aid before the ceasefire began on January 19, and their assessment of aid reaching Gazans consistently fell short of claims made by COGAT concerning amounts that crossed the borders.
Residents in Gaza report intensified food scarcity as bakeries shut down due to the stricter blockade. Markets were largely depleted weeks ago, and UN agencies point out that reserve supplies amassed during the ceasefire are nearing exhaustion. The ongoing conflict has devastated local food production capacity, heightening reliance on international assistance.
Mohammed al-Kurd, a father of twelve, expressed the heartbreaking reality his family faces, stating his children often go to bed without supper.
“We tell them to be patient, that we will get flour in the morning,” he recounted. “We deceive them and ourselves.”
The current conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, when militants from Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals and the capture of 251 hostages, according to Israeli sources. At present, Hamas is believed to still hold 59 captives, 24 of whom are thought to be alive, following the release of many in ceasefire arrangements or other agreements.
The Israeli offensive has resulted in more than 50,000 Palestinian deaths, with countless others still believed trapped beneath rubble, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The humanitarian outlook remains grim as conditions continue to deteriorate.
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