Gaza bakeries forced to shut as Israel blocks flour shipments
Most of Gaza’s commercial bakeries have been forced to close in recent days after Israel blocked wheat flour shipments, according to Palestinian authorities.
The Ministry of Social Development in Gaza warned on Thursday that continued restrictions on flour and essential bakery supplies could trigger an “imminent humanitarian catastrophe” affecting hundreds of thousands of Palestinians.
Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, head of the Association of Bakery Owners in Gaza, said 10 of the 17 operational bakeries had shut due to a shortage of commercial flour.
He warned that more could close in the coming days unless new supplies arrived.
Residents have been queuing for hours to obtain bread amid the shortages in recent days. Ajrami said no flour shipments had been allowed into Gaza for 10 days.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
The ministry called for immediate action to end what it described as Israel’s “systematic policy of starvation and the use of food as a weapon against unarmed civilians”.
It warned of spreading famine and the collapse of food security among displaced people and the poorest families. Acute malnutrition is also rising, particularly among children, patients and older people, it added.
“[The ministry] urges the international community to break its silence and fulfil its moral and humanitarian responsibilities to save Gaza from the looming threat of famine,” the ministry said in a statement.
The closures come days after the World Food Programme (WFP) announced it was ending food aid for more than 500,000 Palestinians in Gaza due to a lack of funding.
According to al-Ajrami, the 21 bakeries supported by the WFP meet only 25 percent of Gaza’s bread needs.
On 14 October, Israel suspended all commercial shipments into Gaza, citing an alleged tax dispute between merchants and the Hamas-led authorities. Hamas and Palestinian importers denied the claims.
Israel said it would resume commercial shipments five days later. However, Palestinians say wide-ranging restrictions on food supplies remain in place.
Violating ceasefire
Under the ceasefire agreed in October 2025 to end the genocidal war on Gaza, Israel pledged to halt its bombing campaign and allow at least 600 aid trucks into the besieged territory each day.
However, Israel has repeatedly violated the agreement through near-daily bombardments, which have killed more than 1,500 people since the ceasefire was signed, including 350 children.
Israeli forces have killed more than 74,500 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023.
Israeli authorities have also maintained tight restrictions on aid and commercial goods since the ceasefire was signed. An average of about 200 trucks enter Gaza daily, far below the agreed target of 600.
Data from the UN and the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) indicate that 1.4 million people - around two-thirds of Gaza’s population - face acute food insecurity at crisis levels or worse. Additionally, 200,000 are experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
