DaysofPal- A severe humanitarian catastrophe has unfolded in the Gaza Strip as all bakeries across the enclave ceased operations on Friday due to the unavailability and skyrocketing cost of flour. The closure marks a devastating escalation in the ongoing siege that has now surpassed 64 consecutive days.
Abdel Nasser Al-Ajrami, head of the Bakery Owners Association in Gaza, confirmed the shutdown, stating that flour prices have reached unprecedented levels. “All bakeries in the Gaza Strip have stopped operating,” Al-Ajrami said, warning that even charitable food kitchens, known as Takayas, have been forced to close their doors.
The shutdown comes amid dire warnings from the Government Media Office, which described the situation as an “imminent humanitarian disaster.” According to the office, the Israeli occupation continues to enforce a complete blockade, barring the entry of baby formula, nutritional supplements, and critical humanitarian aid.
This has left over 70,000 children hospitalized due to severe malnutrition, with 3,500 under the age of five at imminent risk of death by starvation. An estimated 290,000 children are now teetering on the edge of famine, while 1.1 million children face daily hunger without access to basic nutrition.
“This is a crime of genocide,” the Media Office declared, accusing the Israeli occupation of using starvation as a weapon in what it called a “systematic policy of extermination.” The office condemned the “shameful international silence” and called on the global community to take urgent action.
“The denial of food and medicine to children under siege is a blatant violation of international law,” the statement added, holding the international community responsible for its failure to intervene.
Humanitarian organizations, UN institutions, and regional stakeholders have been urged to pressure for the immediate and consistent opening of Gaza’s crossings and the entry of lifesaving aid. Local leaders and clan representatives echoed this plea, condemning the Israeli military’s use of starvation as a tactic of war and appealing directly to regional powers and U.S. President Donald Trump to act swiftly.
Since March 2, the Israeli occupation has kept Gaza’s crossings closed to all forms of relief, medical, and food assistance, exacerbating an already dire crisis and pushing the population further toward mass starvation amid an ongoing campaign widely denounced as genocidal.
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