CAIRO:Israel’s decision to halt the entry of goods into Gaza is severely impacting the Palestinian enclave, leading to the closure of some bakeries, rising food prices, and potential disruptions to clean water supplies due to electricity cuts, according to Gaza officials.
The suspension, which Israel claims is intended to pressure Hamas during ceasefire negotiations, affects the import of essential items such as food, medicine, and fuel. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned that this move endangers the lives of civilians, noting that the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents rely heavily on humanitarian aid.
Hamas has condemned the measure as “collective punishment” and vowed not to yield to pressure for concessions. Abdel-Nasser Al-Ajrami, head of the Gaza bakers’ union, told Reuters that six of the 22 bakeries still operational in the enclave have already shut down after exhausting their supplies of cooking gas.
“The remaining bakeries may close within a week if they run out of diesel or flour, unless the crossing is reopened to allow the flow of goods,” Al-Ajrami said. The situation highlights the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where access to basic necessities is becoming increasingly scarce.
