Gaza is facing a severe food crisis, with over one million people at risk of starvation after food aid shipments were halted on October 1. According to the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP), no food aid has entered Gaza since then, and the situation is growing increasingly dire.
In August, around 700 aid trucks delivered food supplies to northern Gaza. However, in September, the number of trucks dropped to just 400 after the closure of the Allenby Crossing, a key commercial route on the border between the West Bank and Jordan. The WFP stated that this is the lowest level of aid in months, forcing the organization to suspend the distribution of food parcels in October.
“The threat of hunger and famine looms large. Without the resumption of aid, one million vulnerable individuals will lose a critical lifeline,” a WFP spokesperson told CNN.
Additionally, two of Gaza’s major bakeries, Al-Banna Bakery and Zadna Bakery in Deir al-Balah, were forced to shut down due to flour and fuel shortages. These bakeries provided bread, a staple food for the local population. A worker at the Al-Banna Bakery explained, “If I work today, I can feed my family. If I don’t, we go hungry. People are desperately searching for flour, and bakeries are running out of bread.”
The shortage of essential supplies like flour and fuel is leaving residents of Gaza in an increasingly precarious situation, with no clear solution in sight.