Monitoring Desk
Israel’s decision to halt the entry of food, fuel, and medical supplies into Gaza is worsening the already dire humanitarian situation, forcing bakeries to close, raising food prices, and threatening access to clean water, Palestinian officials said.
The suspension, which Israel has described as a tactic to pressure Hamas in ongoing ceasefire negotiations, has drawn sharp criticism from aid organizations and Palestinian authorities. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) warned that the decision puts civilian lives at risk, calling it a devastating blow to the already exhausted population after 17 months of war. The majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents rely on humanitarian aid to survive.
Hamas condemned the move as “collective punishment,” insisting that it would not be coerced into making concessions under economic pressure.
The blockade is already having an immediate impact on daily life. Abdel-Nasser Al-Ajrami, head of the Gaza bakers’ union, said six of the 22 bakeries still in operation have shut down after running out of cooking gas. “The remaining bakeries may close in a week or so if they run out of diesel or flour, unless the crossing is reopened to allow goods to flow,” he told Reuters. With fewer bakeries functioning, demand for bread is expected to rise sharply, exacerbating food shortages.
The crisis extends beyond food supplies. Israel had already cut power to Gaza at the onset of the war, but the latest restrictions are affecting essential infrastructure, including water treatment facilities. The Palestinian Water Authority reported that a key desalination plant producing 18,000 cubic meters of water daily for central and southern Gaza has now been forced to shut down due to the fuel blockade.
Mohammad Thabet, spokesperson for Gaza’s power distribution plant, warned that the lack of electricity and fuel could have severe health and environmental consequences. “The decision is catastrophic. Municipalities will now be forced to release untreated sewage into the sea, creating health and environmental risks that extend beyond Gaza’s borders,” he said.
The restrictions also threaten operations at a wastewater treatment facility that had been receiving power from the Israeli electricity company. Without fuel to run backup generators, sanitation services are at risk of total collapse, further endangering public health.
As the humanitarian toll mounts, aid organizations continue to call for urgent intervention to prevent further deterioration of living conditions in Gaza. The blockade comes at a critical time when diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire remain uncertain, leaving civilians in an increasingly desperate situation.
