The war-torn coastal enclave may go hungry again as Israeli restrictions on the entry of commercial goods deepen shortages, drive up food prices and threaten to shut down remaining operational bakeries.
Abdel Nasser al-Ajrami, head of the Bakery Owners Association in Gaza, warned on Thursday that the seven remaining operational bakeries could close within 48 hours as flour stocks run low.
Speaking to The New Arab, he said several other bakeries that had operated in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and received fuel support had already closed in Gaza City, central Gaza and the south.
Although the Kerem Shalom crossing reopened after several days of closure, no flour shipments had entered Gaza by Thursday, al-Ajrami said. Efforts to secure essential supplies had also yielded no response by late Wednesday.
Commercial shipments have been blocked since mid-October amid disruptions linked to an Israeli festival. Trucks expected to enter Gaza on Thursday were reportedly prevented from doing so by Israeli settlers, further worsening shortages in local markets.
In a press statement, Gaza's Ministry of Social Development warned that the closure of bakeries and restrictions on flour and other essential food supplies could have catastrophic humanitarian consequences.
The ministry said the shortages threatened to worsen malnutrition, particularly among children, sick people and older residents.
It called on the international community to pressure Israel to open the crossings and allow humanitarian aid and commercial goods to enter.
Soaring prices
The disruption to commercial supplies has already driven up prices and made basic goods increasingly difficult for residents to afford.
Radi Kamal, a resident of al-Zawaida refugee camp in central Gaza, told TNA that a 250-gram packet of coffee now costs $10, up from $6. A kilogram of tomatoes costs around $6, potatoes $4 and frozen red meat about US$20. Eggs and fruit have also become scarce.
"Almost everything has become more expensive, and we can no longer buy as much as we used to," Kamal said. "Even when goods are available in the market, many families cannot afford them. We have to choose what we need most and go without other things because we do not have enough money."
He said families feared the situation would deteriorate further if commercial trucks continued to be blocked.
"If supplies do not arrive, prices could rise further, and some goods may disappear from the markets," he said. "Families are already struggling to buy food. If bread also becomes unavailable, feeding our children will become even harder."
Um Mohammed, a 42-year-old mother of five from Gaza City, told TNA that rising prices had forced her to cut back on household purchases to ensure her children had enough to eat. "When I go to the market, I buy only what we need most, but even these things have become expensive," she said. "I put my children's needs first and give up other things so I can provide food for them."
In Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, Abu Ahmed, 51, who supports a family of six, said many households could no longer afford the goods available in local markets.
"We have to buy less and put other needs aside because prices keep rising," he told TNA. "If the bakeries close, things will become much worse because bread is a basic food that we depend on every day."
While Israeli restrictions on the entry of goods remain a major obstacle to supplies reaching Gaza, a apparent dispute over commercial imports and alleged financial demands on merchants has added another layer to the crisis.
Before Israel's genocidal war, around 1,500 merchants and importers operated in Gaza. Commercial-sector sources say Israel has since restricted the coordination of commercial shipments to just eight merchants, leaving supplies vulnerable to disruptions when disagreements arise.
Merchants have accused Hamas of imposing fees of up to 10,000 shekels (around US$3,300) per truck. Disagreements have also emerged over the proportion of sales that merchants must collect in cash rather than through bank transfers.
Hamas and Gaza's Government Media Office have denied imposing mandatory fees on goods. The Ministry of Economy has said the proposed contribution is voluntary and intended to support a national fund providing social assistance, including help for orphans, widows and displaced families.
Riyad al-Sawafiri, head of the Economic Committee at the Gaza Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told TNA that the chamber opposed imposing additional fees or taxes on merchants.
Some traders said they were required to pay 30 per cent of their sales in cash, while Nahed Shuhiber, head of the Private Transport Association in Gaza, put the figure at 25 per cent.
Shuhiber told TNA that the dispute was linked to measures taken against one of the eight merchants authorised to coordinate commercial shipments into Gaza following disagreements over sales procedures.
The situation is further complicated by a cash shortage. Merchants struggle to obtain money for transactions, while residents face difficulties withdrawing their savings.
Despite these internal disputes, the entry of commercial trucks remains subject to Israeli approval and border procedures, leaving the flow of essential goods vulnerable to restrictions and interruptions.
Food insecurity
Political analyst Mustafa Ibrahim told TNA that the suspension of commercial shipments could not be understood solely as a dispute over import procedures or financial contributions.
"Restrictions on the entry of goods have direct and severe consequences for the lives of Gaza's population," he said. "Disruptions to supplies worsen the food crisis, drive up prices and make it harder for people to secure their basic needs."
He added that low-income families and displaced people were bearing the heaviest burden, particularly as bakeries warned of closure and flour stocks dwindled.
"Even if disagreements exist between merchants and local authorities, resolving them should not come at the expense of the population or leave people without access to food," Ibrahim said.
He also questioned the gap between images of trucks at the crossings and the shortages in Gaza's markets, arguing that the presence of vehicles at the border did not guarantee that goods would reach consumers.
With commercial supplies blocked by Israel, food prices soaring and bakeries warning they may soon run out of flour, Gaza's residents face mounting difficulties in securing basic necessities.