DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza – Israel's ongoing blockade of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip has forced a leading aid organization, World Central Kitchen, to shut down its community soup kitchens due to a severe lack of food supplies. Over the past weeks, the organization had been providing 133,000 meals daily and baking 80,000 loaves of bread, but they are now left with empty warehouses and no way to replenish their stocks.
The situation has become dire for Gaza's population, which has been suffering under 19 months of conflict. Recent reports from the World Food Program indicate that food stocks in Gaza have been depleted under Israel's blockade, cutting off a vital source of nourishment for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. As this blockade enters its third month, malnutrition and hunger are increasingly prevalent in the territory.
Humanitarian aid agencies are warning that the lack of food and supplies is pushing Gaza towards starvation. Essential provisions to treat and prevent malnutrition are not only running out but are also quickly depleting. Israel initially imposed the blockade on March 2, exacerbating humanitarian conditions when it resumed military operations in the territory on March 18, following a brief two-month ceasefire. The Israeli government has stated that these measures aim to pressure Hamas, the militant group controlling Gaza, to release hostages.
Rights organizations have decried the blockade as a “starvation tactic,” labeling it a potential war crime that endangers the entire population. Community kitchens, such as those operated by World Central Kitchen, are a lifeline for many, but numerous facilities are shutting down due to material shortages. With many bakeries closed and water distribution halting due to a lack of fuel, scenes of desperation have become commonplace at remaining food distribution sites, where families struggle for scarce rations.
World Central Kitchen claims to have served over 130 million meals and baked 80 million loaves of bread since the war began. However, they reported on Thursday that there is no flour left in their mobile bakery. José Andrés, the founder of the organization, expressed urgent concerns about the situation: “Our trucks—loaded with food and supplies—are waiting in Egypt, Jordan and Israel, ready to enter Gaza, but they cannot move without permission. Humanitarian aid must be allowed to flow.”
COGAT, the Israeli body managing aid to Gaza, firmly stated that the blockade will continue unless there are changes in Israeli policy regarding the situation. A staggering rise in malnutrition among children has been recorded, with over 10,000 children treated for acute malnutrition this year alone, and a particularly alarming surge noted in March, where cases skyrocketed to 3,600.
Moreover, nearly half of the 200 nutrition centers across Gaza have shut down due to ongoing displacement and bombardment. World Central Kitchen had previously halted operations in April of last year following deadly strikes on their convoy, highlighting the ongoing dangers faced by humanitarian workers in the region.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen, with food supplies running critically low and no immediate resolution in sight.
