In a distressing update, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a stark warning regarding the deteriorating food situation in the blockaded Gaza Strip, raising concerns of a looming humanitarian catastrophe. The situation has reached a critical point, with only a mere four to five days’ worth of food stocks left on store shelves.
Abeer Etefa, the Middle East spokesperson for the WFP, conveyed this alarming news during a press conference at the United Nations in Geneva via video-link from Cairo. She highlighted the dire circumstances, stating that while stocks within warehouses in Gaza were dwindling, the situation at the shop level was even more acute.
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Etefa emphasized, “The situation in Gaza is getting worse by the minute: the humanitarian situation but also, of course, the food security situation.” At present, the available stocks of essential food items are sufficient for a mere two weeks, and this is at the wholesalers’ level. Warehouses in Gaza City, located in the northern part of the territory, are struggling to replenish supplies to the shops, causing a growing food scarcity.
“Inside the shops, the stocks are getting close to less than a few days, maybe four or five days of food stocks left,” she added.
This dire situation is a result of escalating tensions and violence in the region. Gaza-based Hamas fighters breached Israel’s heavily fortified border on October 7, leading to a tragic loss of over 1,400 lives, with the majority being civilians. Israel has claimed that at least 199 hostages were taken by Hamas and other groups during the incursion.
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In response to these events, Israel launched extensive airstrikes on Hamas-controlled Gaza and deployed a substantial number of troops to the border in preparation for a potential ground offensive.
As a part of the evacuation plan, Israel has urged residents in north Gaza to relocate to the south, aiming to clear the area of civilians in anticipation of a dangerous urban ground assault.
Etefa also disclosed that out of the five flour mills in the Gaza Strip, only one is currently operational, primarily due to security concerns and the unavailability of fuel. Consequently, the supply of bread is running perilously low, leading to long lines of people waiting for hours to obtain this essential food.
Moreover, out of the 23 bakeries in Gaza contracted by the WFP, only five are still in operation. Etefa emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “Our food supplies within Gaza are running really short.”
Importantly, there have been no reports of looting at WFP warehouses, although the remaining food stocks within these facilities are extremely limited.
In response to the crisis, aid agencies have been flying supplies into El Arish airport in Egypt, which is approximately 20 kilometers away from the Rafah border crossing, the sole entry point into the Gaza Strip not under Israeli control. Unfortunately, Egypt has kept this crossing closed to humanitarian aid and foreign nationals seeking to leave, as Israeli strikes have targeted the Palestinian side of the crossing.
Etefa revealed that the WFP has mobilized over 300 metric tonnes of food, either at or en route to the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip. This quantity of food can provide sustenance for approximately 250,000 people for one week. There remains a collective hope for these supplies to reach those in need, underlining the necessity of unimpeded access and safe passage for crucial humanitarian aid.
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The UN’s humanitarian chief, Martin Griffiths, is set to visit the region in the coming days to negotiate aid access to the Gaza Strip. His visit will include stops in Egypt, Israel, and, if conditions permit, the Palestinian territories, with the goal of alleviating the escalating humanitarian crisis.
The world watches with bated breath as efforts are made to avert a disastrous outcome in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the critical need for international assistance and cooperation.
