ABNA24 - International reports have warned of the renewed risk of famine in the Gaza Strip, amid a severe shortage of flour and basic food items, and the closure of an increasing number of bakeries in recent days, due to Israeli restrictions imposed on the entry of food supplies, coinciding with a reduction in humanitarian aid provided to the population.
The British Middle East Eye website highlighted rising concerns over the collapse of food security in the Strip, particularly after several commercial bakeries closed as a result of preventing the entry of wheat flour shipments.
The Ministry of Social Development in Gaza warned that the continuation of restrictions imposed on flour and bakery operating supplies could lead to an imminent humanitarian disaster affecting hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
Head of the Bakery Owners Association in Gaza, Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, said ten out of 17 operational bakeries have closed their doors due to the shortage of commercial flour, warning of the possibility that other facilities might stop operating during the coming days unless new supplies arrive.
Al-Ajrami added that no flour shipments have been allowed to enter the Strip for ten days, noting that residents are forced to wait long hours in front of bakeries to obtain bread, amid declining supply and an intensifying food crisis.
The Ministry of Social Development called for immediate action to end restrictions imposed on food supplies, demanding that the international community bear its humanitarian responsibilities and work to prevent the Strip from sliding back into famine.
Aid reduction worsens crisis
The flour crisis and bakery closures coincide with a reduction in food aid provided by the World Food Program (WFP), as it announced suspending aid to about 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza due to a funding shortfall.
According to al-Ajrami, the 21 bakeries supported by WFP cover only about 25% of the Strip’s bread needs, making their continued operation dependent on the availability of flour and necessary supplies for operation.
The report noted that the consequences of the crisis particularly affect displaced people and the poorest families, amid warnings of increasing acute malnutrition, especially among children, the sick, and the elderly.
In the same context, WFP reported that about 1.4 million people in Gaza, nearly two-thirds of the population, face critical or worse levels of food insecurity, including about 200,000 people suffering from emergency levels of food insecurity.
Crossing restrictions threaten food supplies
The Israeli occupation authorities announced the resumption of commercial shipments entering after five days of closure, but broad restrictions on food supplies remained in place, according to Palestinian accounts.
The report noted that the ceasefire agreement announced in October 2025 stipulated allowing the entry of at least 600 aid trucks daily into the Strip, whereas it spoke of an average entry of about 200 trucks daily, which is far lower than the agreed-upon number.
The continued restrictions on aid and commercial goods have contributed to keeping markets under pressure from supply shortages and high prices, limiting the ability of families to secure their basic needs, especially with the loss of income sources and the exhaustion of savings.
These developments reflect the fragility of the food situation in Gaza, as the danger is not limited to bread and flour shortages, but extends to families’ ability to obtain sufficient and diverse food, amid declining aid, disruption of production sources, and high living costs.
Concerns are growing that the continuation of restrictions on the entry of food, fuel, and bakery operating supplies, alongside the reduction of humanitarian aid, will worsen hunger and malnutrition, especially with winter approaching and the increasing needs of displaced people and families living in harsh humanitarian conditions.
These warnings put the international community before the necessity of ensuring a regular and sufficient flow of aid and commercial supplies into the Gaza Strip, securing the needs of bakeries for flour and fuel, and preventing the expansion of food deprivation among the population.
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