News- Middle East: The World Food Programme (WFP)-supported bakeries in the Gaza Strip have announced a complete halt to operations after running out of flour and fuel in the besieged enclave.

Abdelnasser Al-Ajrami, head of the Gaza Bakeries Association, confirmed that "the drums of the starvation war are beating" as bakeries in the blockaded strip cease operations.

In a press statement, Al-Ajrami said, "The WFP informed the association that its flour stocks have been exhausted, leading to the closure of 18 bakeries supported by the programme." He warned that "the continuation of this situation could lead to widespread famine in the sector."

Al-Ajrami added, "The situation is extremely dire. The closure of bakeries means thousands of families will not find bread on their tables, and the catastrophe will worsen if crossings are not immediately opened to allow the entry of essential supplies."

He continued, "We cannot operate bakeries without flour and fuel. This crisis is not just about bakeries—it is a life-or-death situation for hundreds of thousands who rely on bread as their staple food."

Al-Ajrami urgently appealed to the international community and humanitarian organizations to pressure the Israeli occupation to "reopen crossings and permit the entry of food and fuel to prevent a worsening humanitarian disaster."

He attributed the starvation of Gaza’s population to "the blockade and restrictions on goods, which have led to the depletion of flour, diesel, and yeast."

"This siege casts a grim shadow over the living conditions of Gazans, who are already suffering the horrors of this brutal war, not to mention the lack of cooking gas," he added.

Al-Ajrami noted that the association had contacted several parties, including the WFP, but lamented, "Unfortunately, our appeals have gone unanswered—this is purely political pressure. We are waiting for the crossings to open."

Out of 140 bakeries in Gaza, 70 were automated, many of which have been destroyed by Israeli occupation forces—particularly in the northern Gaza Strip, where millions of dollars are needed for reconstruction.

Earlier, UNRWA, one of the largest providers of food aid in Gaza, warned that its flour stocks would only last a few more days.

UNRWA stated, "The situation in Gaza is extremely alarming amid a massive reduction in aid distribution."

In a statement reported by Shehab News Agency, the office said, "Gaza is gradually dying from starvation, genocide, and the killing of civilian life at the hands of the Israeli occupation," calling on the world to "stop crimes of ethnic cleansing and targeting civilians."

It added, "Amid the ongoing genocide war waged by the Israeli occupation army on Gaza, occupation forces continue to commit the most heinous crimes against defenseless civilians, flouting all international laws and conventions. They systematically and deliberately target civilians and infrastructure in blatant violation of the most basic humanitarian principles and international humanitarian law."

The office pointed out that Gaza is witnessing "a comprehensive genocide war," with the number of killed and missing exceeding 61,000, including over 50,300 confirmed deaths—among them more than 30,000 children and women.

"Israel has blocked 18,600 aid trucks and 1,550 fuel trucks (carrying diesel, gasoline, and cooking gas). To further enforce starvation, the Israeli army bombed over 60 food kitchens and aid centers, rendering them inoperable."

International and humanitarian organizations have warned of an imminent catastrophe as living and health conditions continue to deteriorate. They have called for the urgent reopening of crossings and the entry of humanitarian aid to prevent further decline.

This comes as the Israeli army continues its military operations in the Gaza Strip following the resumption of war on March 18, after the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which lasted nearly 50 days, ended.

Palestinian economic expert Mohammed Abu Jiab told Anadolu Agency that the bread crisis in Gaza is no longer just about the availability of flour but also the lack of means to produce and bake bread.

Abu Jiab added, "Citizens do not have the gas needed to bake bread, and most household and municipal bakeries have shut down due to the closure of border crossings." He explained that some families, despite having limited amounts of flour, are unable to bake bread due to the lack of gas, firewood, or electricity.

He pointed out that during the ceasefire period, before the crossings were closed, Palestinians were able to bake their own bread. However, with the new crisis, people have had to queue in front of bakeries supported by the World Food Programme, which have become the only source of bread for Gaza's residents. If these bakeries shut down due to continued border closures, it would lead to a real famine. The closure of bakeries in Gaza does not only mean a lack of bread but also affects other aspects of life. Many poor and displaced families rely on humanitarian aid that includes bread, and without it, access to food becomes even more difficult. Moreover, rising prices due to food shortages will make it impossible for poor families to secure their daily meals, leading to an increase in malnutrition cases, especially among children and the elderly.

Since the beginning of the Zionist genocide in October 2023, Palestinians have suffered from famine due to severe restrictions imposed by Israel on humanitarian aid entry, forcing them to eat animal feed and grass and to reduce both the number and size of their daily meals.

Israeli authorities closed the Kerem Shalom crossing, Gaza's main commercial gateway, in early March, halting the entry of food, fuel, and humanitarian aid, according to local officials.