Israel announced a blockade on all humanitarian aid – including water, food and fuel – into Gaza in early March.
The UN World Food Program (WFP) announced on Wednesday that all bakeries it supports in the Gaza Strip were forced to shut down due to a lack of fuel and flour as a result of Israel’s blockade on the enclave.
“All 25 WFP-supported bakeries in Gaza have shut down due to lack of fuel and flour,” WFP said in a statement on X.
It also warned that supplies for its continued hot meal program, will only “last two weeks maximum.”
UPDATE:
All 25 WFP-supported bakeries in #Gaza have shut down due to lack of fuel and flour.
— World Food Programme (@WFP) April 1, 2025
“WFP will distribute its last food parcels in the next two days,” the UN agency stated.
In an earlier post, WFP emphasized that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were “again at risk of severe hunger and malnutrition as humanitarian food stocks in the Strip dwindle and borders remain closed. Urgent access is needed to get aid into Gaza.”
UN Dismisses Israel’s Claims
On Tuesday, the UN dismissed Israeli claims that there was enough food in the Gaza Strip, calling the assertion “ridiculous.”
“As far as the UN is concerned, that’s ridiculous. I mean, we are at the tail end of our supplies, of the UN, that came in through the humanitarian route,” spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference in response to a question.
“You know, WFP doesn’t close its bakeries for fun. If there’s no flour, if there’s no cooking gas, the bakeries cannot open,” he added.
In response to a question over Israel’s claims that Hamas was taking the food aid, Dujarric said: “The UN has kept a chain of custody and a very good chain of custody on all the aid it’s delivered.”
Israel announced a blockade on all humanitarian aid – including water, food and fuel – into Gaza in early March, ahead of the resumption of its genocidal assault on the enclave.
Staggering Death Toll
The renewed Israeli violence on March 18 has broken a ceasefire that began on January 19. The latest military actions have killed hundreds of Palestinians and injured many more, primarily civilians, including women and children.
While the violations have been condemned by numerous countries and human rights groups, the US has continued its support for Israel, asserting that the military campaign was carried out with prior knowledge and approval from Washington.
“Israel’s” siege of #Gaza and prevention of essentials like flour, fuel, and yeast has shut down all bakeries in #Gaza, worsening the ongoing humanitarian crisis and increasing the risk of famine for 2.4 million #Palestinians. https://t.co/9qunlxOtGE
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 1, 2025
Since October 2023, Israel has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left Gaza in ruins.
In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the enclave.
(PC, Anadolu)
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