Long lines for bread in Gaza as Israel restricts fuel and flour imports

Gaza City, Gaza – Standing in a long line under the blazing sun, 14-year-old Muhammed al-Roubi waits to buy bread. Despite his patience, he risks returning empty-handed because production cannot keep up with the needs of Palestinians.

A shortage of flour and fuel in recent weeks, stemming from Israeli import restrictions into the Gaza Strip, has left bakeries unable to produce enough bread. Most Palestinians, displaced by Israel’s war, are forced to wait hours outside still-operating bakeries to buy subsidized packs of bread.

“My uncle’s family and my family live together in the same house, we share food, so we need a large amount of bread every day,” al-Roubi told Al Jazeera as he and his cousin queued in two separate lines. “Some days we go home empty-handed because the bread runs out and there are too many people.”

Ismail al-Thawabta, head of the Gaza Government Media Office, said the territory needs about 450 tonnes of flour per day, but only 200 tonnes are imported. The shortfall stems from Israel’s decision to close Gaza’s crossings on February 28, when Israel, together with the US, launched a campaign against Iran. The crossings reopened after a few days but with restricted flow.

More than a third of Gaza’s population depends on subsidized bread from bakeries supplied by the World Food Programme (WFP), where a pack of about eight to nine pita breads is sold at a capped price of around $1. About 20% of the bread from these bakeries is distributed free at soup kitchens. However, the WFP has been forced to reduce its flour supplies to bakeries because of Israeli import restrictions, pushing many Palestinians to seek alternative sources.

Maysar Abu Rekab, a 72-year-old widow caring for three disabled relatives, said: “Before, we used to receive bread through WFP distribution points, but now it’s very hard to get except by standing in long lines, and no one in my family can stand in line.” She added: “A pack of bread now costs between 10 and 15 shekels ($3.45–$5.17), while each household needs two packs a day. This is a heavy burden, especially with low incomes and rising flour prices.”

Beyond the bread shortage, Gaza faces a cooking gas crisis. Gas supplies, overseen by the Gaza Ministry of Economy through distributors, have slowed from once every six weeks to once every three months because of limited quantities Israel allows in. The price of firewood, an alternative fuel for cooking and baking, has also soared.

In addition to flour, Israeli restrictions limit lubricants needed to run generators, since Gaza lacks a regular power grid. The territory’s only power plant shut down early in the war due to a lack of fuel. Shadi Abu Gharqoud, a bakery worker, said: “Our work depends on generators that need frequent oil changes. Today, the price of one liter of oil reached about 2,000 shekels ($689). This is a huge amount, especially since we need large quantities.” The increased costs are passed on to customers.

Still recovering from last year’s famine, Palestinians in Gaza fear the expanding humanitarian crisis could lead to a return of starvation, which only ended with a ceasefire last October. Maysar said: “During the last famine, people died of hunger and for a piece of bread. Doesn’t the world see that? This crisis must be resolved before it gets worse.”