The United Nations has dismissed Israeli claims that there is an adequate supply of food in Gaza, as aid agencies warn of a deepening humanitarian catastrophe due to severe shortages of essential supplies.
Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated earlier on Tuesday that "there is enough food for a long period of time if Hamas allows civilians to access it." However, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric labeled this assertion as "ridiculous" during a press briefing in New York.
"We are at the end of our supplies—both UN supplies and those that arrived through the humanitarian corridor," Dujarric said. He emphasized that the World Food Programme (WFP) "does not shut down its bakeries for fun—if there is no flour and no cooking gas, bakeries cannot operate."
The WFP announced on Tuesday that all 25 bakeries it supports in Gaza have ceased operations due to a lack of fuel and flour. The agency stated that with humanitarian aid blocked from entering Gaza since March 2, stocks of flour and other essential goods are nearly depleted.
"Before the blockade, we were distributing over 306,000 kilograms of wheat flour daily to keep Gaza’s bakeries running," the WFP said. "With border closures preventing aid deliveries, our supplies have run out, forcing all WFP-supported bakeries to shut down."
The situation has led to growing fears of famine in Gaza, as Israeli forces continue to enforce a blockade that has prevented the entry of food, fuel, and humanitarian supplies.
Israeli authorities closed all border crossings into Gaza, including the vital Kerem Shalom crossing, on March 2, following the end of a 42-day ceasefire agreement. Since then, humanitarian groups have warned that the blockade is pushing the already dire situation in Gaza toward a full-scale humanitarian disaster.
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