Gaza's Bread Crisis Worsens: Long Queues and Severe Flour Shortage Threaten Imminent Famine

Thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are lining up for extended hours in long queues in front of the few remaining bakeries, searching for limited quantities of bread, which has become the only lifeline for families exhausted by repeated displacement. This escalating crisis is a result of the severe shortage of flour quantities that the occupation authorities allow to enter through the crossings, in addition to the significant scarcity of fuel needed to operate the bakeries.

Local sources reported that the crisis deepened significantly after the 'World Central Kitchen' decided to halt its flour support, as it used to provide the Strip with 20 to 30 tons daily. The World Food Programme also reduced its supplied portions from 300 tons to 200 tons daily, creating a large gap between supply and demand, given that the vast majority of the population relies on subsidized bread.

Since the start of the genocidal war, most Palestinians have relied on bread provided by international relief organizations, where a 2.5 kg bundle is sold for only about 3 shekels. In contrast, the price of the same quantity of unsubsidized bread in the markets reaches between 8 and 10 shekels, an amount that exceeds the purchasing power of thousands of families who have lost their sources of income.

OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, described the living conditions in the Strip as 'dire,' noting that most families have become entirely dependent on scarce aid. UN reports confirmed a sudden increase in the prices of basic commodities since early March, with the price of a 25 kg bag of flour jumping from 30 shekels to about 75 shekels due to the scarcity of supplies.

For his part, Ismail Al-Thawabta, the Director-General of the Government Media Office, explained that the deterioration of food security is a direct result of the strict Israeli restrictions on commercial and humanitarian crossings. He pointed out that the occupation deliberately rations the entry of essential materials to increase living pressure on the population, which has led to bakeries being unable to meet the minimum daily needs of citizens.

Statistics from the World Food Programme indicate that about 1.6 million people in Gaza, equivalent to 77% of the population, face dangerous levels of acute food insecurity. This affected group includes more than 100,000 children and 37,000 pregnant and lactating women, warning of a long-term health catastrophe if the situation is not addressed and necessary food is not provided.

In a field testimony, displaced person Ibrahim Qandil says he has to travel long distances daily from his tent in the Rimal area to get one bundle of bread, which is not enough for his nine family members. Qandil confirmed that obtaining bread now requires patience and suffering beyond human endurance, especially with the lack of cash liquidity that prevents people from buying their basic needs.

Qandil warned that the continuation of this situation portends a real famine that will decimate the displaced, describing hunger as 'more severe than bombing and war.' These words reflect the state of despair that dominates the Palestinian street in Gaza, where securing a loaf of bread has become the main concern for fathers and mothers amidst the absence of other food alternatives.

According to official data, the Gaza Strip needs about 450 tons of flour daily to meet the needs of the population, while currently only quantities not exceeding 200 tons are available. This large deficit has led to the closure of a large number of bakeries, and production is limited to a very small number that covers only a small part of the increasing demand.

Currently, only about 30 bakeries are operating throughout the Strip, producing approximately 133,000 bundles of bread daily, some of which are distributed for free and the rest are sold through subsidized sales points. The Government Media Office warned of the possibility of the collapse of what remains of this fragile system if the entry of fuel and the supply of flour from international organizations continue to be prevented.

Al-Thawabta stressed the necessity of urgent international action to ensure the flow of food aid commensurate with the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip. He demanded that the occupation be obligated to humanitarian understandings that stipulate the unimpeded entry of trucks, warning that the systematic starvation policy will lead to more casualties away from the military war machine.

Despite previous agreements that stipulated the entry of 600 trucks daily, sources confirm that Israel has not adhered to these understandings at all. The amount of aid allowed to enter since last October did not exceed 38% of what was entering the Strip before the aggression began, exacerbating the deficit in all vital sectors.

This crisis comes amidst the ongoing genocidal war that has caused massive destruction, affecting 90% of the civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. The continuous military operations and the strict blockade have led to a complete paralysis of economic life, making the population entirely dependent on what limited international relief convoys provide.

In conclusion, the loaf of bread in Gaza remains a symbol of steadfastness and suffering simultaneously, as Palestinians struggle to survive under inhumane conditions. Local and international appeals continue to fully open the crossings and end the blockade, to save millions of lives from the threat of famine that now knocks on the doors of every tent and home in the Strip.

Hunger is harder than bombing and war; what we are experiencing today is a catastrophe in every sense of the word.