Gaza ‘heading towards famine’ as bread shortages deepen amid Israeli curbs
Significant shortages of bread and essential supplies, including food and fuel, have returned to the Gaza Strip as Israel continues to tighten restrictions on the entry of goods and aid.
In recent days, Palestinians in the enclave have been forced to queue for hours to obtain subsidised bundles of bread from the few bakeries still operating, each costing three shekels (around $1).
Free bread distributed by aid groups remains scarce and out of reach for many.
Residents also report rising vegetable prices, while eggs, chicken and meat have nearly disappeared from the market.
Sabreen Abu Ouda, a 45-year-old resident of Gaza City, said her family of 11 receives just one bundle of 10 loaves twice a week.
“When we receive a bag of bread, what does it amount to? One loaf per person? That is not enough, and we go days without bread,” she told Middle East Eye.
“As for vegetables, by God, we have not bought any since the end of Ramadan (on 18 March). We simply cannot afford their rising prices.”
The crisis comes amid renewed Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid into the war-battered enclave, despite a ceasefire signed six months ago that included provisions for the large-scale delivery of humanitarian relief.
'What most people fear is that we are heading towards famine'
- Jamal Saeed Qaddoum, Gaza resident
Israel has also imposed tighter regulations on humanitarian supplies, significantly disrupting aid operations and, in some cases, bringing them to a halt.
This has affected organisations such as the World Food Programme, which has been forced to pause or limit food deliveries, particularly key items such as flour and vegetables.
In a statement on Sunday, the Gaza Government Media Office said Israel was escalating what it described as “engineered starvation” in the besieged enclave.
It characterised the measures as “systematic” and “deliberate”, carried out through “complete control over the flow of basic commodities”.
The office explained that Gaza requires around 450 tonnes of flour per day, but only about 200 tonnes are currently available.
Despite a ceasefire requiring 600 aid trucks per day, only around 200 have been allowed in on average, leaving shelter supplies, medical aid and food items almost non-existent.
Fears of an incoming famine
The renewed wave of food scarcity has raised fears among Gaza’s 2.2 million residents of a return to famine.
During the two-year genocide in Gaza, Israeli forces imposed a total blockade on the strip while bombing bakeries and razing agricultural land.
The attacks led to widespread starvation, with famine officially declared in some areas and dozens of people reported dead from malnutrition.
'In the media, it is said that Israel allows gas to enter, but what actually comes in is just a drop in the ocean'
- Shams al-Din Abu Oud, Gaza
Abu Ouda said that while she managed to obtain a small amount of flour in recent months, fears of an impending famine have pushed her to “save it for harder days”.
“We rely mainly on charity kitchens, and eat just enough to stave off hunger,” she said. “Many times, when food is brought to us, we prefer to eat it without bread or rice in order to save what little we have.”
Jamal Saeed Qaddoum, 70, said conditions in the strip have “worsened greatly in recent days”.
With rising prices and the absence of basic goods, he said it has become increasingly difficult to meet essential needs or store supplies.
“What most people fear is that we are heading towards famine,” he said, echoing Abu Ouda’s concerns.
Beyond food shortages, the territory is also facing a severe fuel and cooking gas crisis, which is pushing firewood prices higher.
Shams al-Din Abu Oud, 52, said the increase in wood costs is pushing people to burn alternative materials such as nylon, plastic and waste, posing serious risks to respiratory health.
"We are facing a severe gas crisis," Abu Oud told MEE.
“In the media, it is said that Israel allows gas to enter, but what actually comes in is just a drop in the ocean - it’s not enough for the population,”
Several leading rights groups and experts have criticised Israel’s failure to comply with the truce signed in October, as Palestinian civilians continue to face dire living conditions exacerbated by displacement, restrictions on aid, limited access to medical treatment and severe fuel shortages.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said last week that life in Gaza continues to be “suffocated” six months after the ceasefire was signed.
“The ceasefire has failed to end the devastation in Gaza, with Israeli authorities continuing to impose conditions that undermine basic living standards,” said Claire San Filippo, MSF’s emergency manager, adding that the situation remains “catastrophic”.
“People’s needs are immense, yet the Israeli authorities have continued to systematically restrict the entry of humanitarian aid.”
This article was sourced from Middle East Eye.
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