Growing bread queues in Gaza as Israel restricts fuel, flour imports

Gaza City, Gaza – Standing in a long queue under the beating sun, 14-year-old Muhammed al-Roubi was waiting to buy bread. But there was a strong chance that, despite his patience, he would not get any.

A flour and fuel shortage in recent weeks, brought on by Israeli restrictions on imports into Gaza, means that bakeries cannot produce as much bread as Palestinians in Gaza need.

Palestinians, the vast majority of them living displaced as a result of Israel’s genocidal war on the territory, are instead forced to wait for hours in queues outside of the few remaining bakeries to get subsidised bread packages.

“My uncle’s family and ours live in the same house, and we share food, so we need a large amount of bread every day,” said al-Roubi, who had come to the bakery with his cousin before separating and joining different queues.

“That is why my cousin and I each stand in a separate line,” he explained. “Some days, we return empty-handed because the bread runs out and there are too many people.”

Shortages

The growing queues at the few remaining distribution points reflect the current decline in production levels, while demand continues to rise, driving increased prices and the growth of a black market.

Ismail al-Thawabta, the head of Gaza’s Government Media Office, said last month that the territory needs about 450 tonnes of flour per day, but that only 200 tonnes were coming in.

Recent shortages stem from Israel’s decision to close the crossings into Gaza on February 28, when Israel launched a joint war with the United States on Iran. The crossings partially reopened after a few days, but traffic through them has been limited.

Israel ultimately decides how much will be let through, despite last year’s “ceasefire” with Hamas stipulating that Israel must significantly ease the restrictions.

According to Israeli media reports, the US-led Board of Peace, tasked with overseeing the administration of Gaza, will not hold Israel accountable for implementing its side of the “ceasefire” unless Hamas agrees to disarm.

More than one-third of Gaza’s population relies on subsidised bread from World Food Programme (WFP)-supplied bakeries, where a bundle, containing about eight or nine pitas, is sold at a capped price of about $1. About 20 percent of bread from WFP-supported bakeries is also handed out for free at meal kitchens.

But the WFP has been forced to reduce flour supplies to bakeries because of Israel’s import restrictions, meaning that many Palestinians who relied on the bakeries have had to look elsewhere.

One of them is 72-year-old Maysar Abu Rekab, a widow who supports three family members with disabilities.