Due to the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, all bakeries have been forced to close, leading to a severe shortage of food and basic supplies. Abdul Nasser Ajrami, head of the Gaza Bakery Owners Association, announced on Tuesday that all bakeries have ceased operations due to the scarcity of fuel and flour. This situation has exacerbated the plight of local residents.
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04-03, 2025Ajrami stated, "The World Food Programme (WFP) informed us today that its flour reserves in its warehouses have been depleted." He emphasized that bakeries will not be able to resume operations unless Israel opens the crossings and allows necessary supplies to enter. The World Food Programme is responsible for supporting the operation of 18 bakeries in the Gaza Strip, and their closure will further worsen the hunger and malnutrition crisis faced by the local population of 2 million.
Ahmed Dremly, a freelance journalist in northern Gaza, said, "This news is a shock to all residents." He explained that bread is the main source of carbohydrates for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to combat hunger. With Israel closing all entry points into Gaza, chicken, meat, and most vegetables are unavailable, and Palestinians often have no choice but to eat bread with canned food.
For the past four weeks, Israeli forces have blocked the supply of all food, fuel, medicine, and essential goods into the Gaza Strip. This is the longest blockade since the war began 18 months ago. Tom Fletcher, head of the United Nations humanitarian affairs, pointed out: "All entrances into Gaza have been closed. At the border, food is rotting, medicines are expiring, and essential medical equipment is trapped." He called on the international community to take action to uphold the basic principles of humanitarian law.
This four-week blockade coincides with Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and is usually a joyous time for Gazan residents to gather and share food. However, this year, like last year, Eid is overshadowed by displacement, hunger, and the relentless bombardment by Israeli forces. Bakeries not only provide bread but also cooking gas, which is an extremely scarce resource in the besieged Gaza Strip. Most people have started burning firewood for cooking, but even firewood has become scarce and is sold at high prices on the black market.
Dremly said, "People cannot afford firewood, or even baking ingredients like oil and yeast. Bakeries are essential for satisfying hunger and saving time and resources." With the closure of bakeries, the markets are filled with displaced people searching for flour, but there is hardly any flour available. Dremly said that even if someone finds flour, the price per bag is as high as 400 shekels ($115), compared to 25 shekels before the war and 35 shekels during the brief ceasefire in January. "People are now in a state of chaos, they have forgotten about the war, displacement, migration, and bombardment," the journalist described, "Their main concern now is flour."
Especially in northern Gaza, residents have been suffering from hunger for more than eight months after Israeli forces besieged several towns. Aid organizations have widely accused Israeli forces of using hunger as a weapon of war. Residents in northern Gaza told Middle East Eye that when a ceasefire was announced on January 19, they thought their days of hunger and deteriorating health were over. But since Israel resumed attacks in early March, no food supplies have entered the entire Gaza Strip. "When the war first started, people were healthy and had the ability and energy to endure," Dremly said, "Now they cannot endure it again."
With no bread available, Palestinians are looking for alternative carbohydrates such as rice and pasta. Middle East Eye found that some people are borrowing money or selling household items to buy rice. Even if they manage to buy food, many Palestinians live in overcrowded tents, and some even sleep on the streets. Few people live in conditions suitable for making dough or cooking food. The World Food Programme said last week that its overall food supplies will run out in the coming days. The agency said that as a "last resort," it will provide 415,000 people with emergency reserves of fortified biscuits once all other food is exhausted.
Dremly said, "People here are not optimistic. They no longer care whether the war continues or ends, because they only care about eating." This situation reflects the severe humanitarian crisis facing residents in the Gaza Strip, which urgently requires emergency assistance and intervention from the international community.
