GAZA (Dispatches) – Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says people in the Gaza Strip face the risk of death from hunger in light of the ongoing Israeli genocidal war on Gaza since October 2023, Anadolu Agency reports.
“Over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza face the risk of death from hunger and thirst due to the Israeli occupation’s denial of aid delivery and restrictions on access to medicine, food and water,” Hamas said in a statement.
The group warned that children in Gaza are dying of hunger, and families are on the verge of famine amid a lack of basic essentials for survival.
According to a previous statement by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), 30 humanitarian aid trucks at most enter Gaza per day, a trickle that is very far from meeting the needs of the people there. Before October 2023, hundreds crossed the border every day to feed the enclave’s over 2 million people.
Gaza’s Government Media Office also stated that hunger and suffering among Palestinians in the besieged enclave have reached “catastrophic” levels, and called on the World Food Programme (WFP) to “uphold its duty” and resume the distribution of much-needed flour.
For 420 days, it said, the Zionist regime’s army has relied on hunger as a tool against people in Gaza, particularly women and children. Israel has maintained its crippling siege on the strip and prevented the entry of humanitarian aid by sealing shut vital border crossings.
WFP announced on Friday that all bakeries in central Gaza have shut down due to a lack of supplies resulting from the ongoing Israeli genocide.
The WFP posted on X: “All bakeries in central #Gaza have shut down due to severe supply shortages.”
“Bread is a lifeline for many families — often the only food they can access. Now, even that is slipping out of reach. WFP continues its call for safe & secure access to vital humanitarian aid into Gaza,” it added.
On 21 November, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, stated that only seven of the 19 bakeries supported by humanitarian partners in Gaza remain operational because of Israel’s attacks and hindrances.
Dujarric highlighted in a press conference the humanitarian situation of Palestinians in Gaza who are struggling to survive amid Israeli attacks.
He explained that the reason why most bakeries are unable to operate is Israel’s blockade, which is preventing the delivery of necessary materials.
On Wednesday, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned: “Hunger in Gaza is at critical levels, with people scavenging through weeks-old waste for scraps of food.”