The specter of famine haunts about 700,000 Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip, while more than 1.5 million Palestinians in the central and southern regions fear the increasing shortage of goods and foodstuffs, as a result of the Israeli closure of the crossings and the prevention of the entry of basic materials.

The markets of the northern governorates of the Gaza Strip lack various types of basic foodstuffs, legumes, vegetables and meat, which brings to mind the details of the famine that led to the death of 31 Palestinians as a result of malnutrition and the depletion of food and water.

As the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip entered its 238th day, which led to the martyrdom and loss of more than 46,000 Palestinians, and the wounding of 81,000 with various injuries, 71% of whom were children and women, the features of famine began to materialize on the ground, after a slight breakthrough witnessed by the people of the north. Gaza Strip, but it ended with the complete closure of the crossings, before it had a positive impact on the humanitarian reality.

The specter of famine

The Israeli occupation has not brought trucks loaded with goods and food into the Gaza and northern governorates for nearly a month, which heralds the return of the threat of famine to threaten hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who are suffering the details of the real tragedy as a result of the continued Israeli aggression since the 7th of last October.

Palestinian Hani Ashrim, a resident of the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood north of Gaza City, says that the Gaza Strip’s markets are suffering from a great scarcity of various types, most notably vegetables and fruits, as well as poultry, eggs, or meat. After a short period of their availability for a limited period, “they disappeared.” Most of the goods again.

In his interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Ashrim pointed out that the condition of the markets in Gaza City is unstable, adding that “there is a great scarcity of goods, the prices of which have risen astronomically, as well as of canned food, the price of which has risen more than five-fold, in light of the purchasing power.” There is no shortage of citizens who have been exhausted by the events of the aggression.”

Palestinian Ibrahim Jamal did not hide his annoyance at the general situation of random and irregular markets in everything, whether in the goods offered or the prices. He said: “We wake up every day to a different reality, worse than the day before because of the Israeli occupation’s control over the opening and closing of the crossings.” Or whether the goods enter or not.”

Jamal explains to Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that Palestinian families in Gaza City no longer decide what dish they want to cook, but rather the markets determine the nature of that dish according to the available varieties. However, “the great scarcity of vegetables and foodstuffs began to worry us, and brings to our minds the severity of the famine we experienced.” "It seems that we have not escaped from it yet."

Jamal, who supports a family of five, explains the huge difference in the prices of some vegetables and foodstuffs, as the price of a kilogram of sugar rose from 3 Israeli shekels to more than 50 shekels, while the price of one kilogram of onions reached approximately 80 shekels, and the price of a kilogram of tomatoes reached 60 shekels. Shekels, and the price of canned meat rose from 2 shekels to 10 shekels, and the price of a can of beans from 3 shekels to 15 shekels. (One US dollar equals 3.67 shekels).

Running out of goods exacerbates famine

As for the Palestinian Samah Abu Al-Eis, she explained to Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that the combination of the running out of goods in the markets and the significant increase in the prices of available foodstuffs, in light of the destitute economic situation, causes the suffering of the Palestinians to double, who are subjected to the most horrific war of genocide known to humanity.

Abu Al-Eiss, whose exhaustion was evident as she walked around the popular Al-Sahaba market east of Gaza City, explains that her family is suffering from extreme difficulty in obtaining everything, in light of the depletion of food supplies, drinking water, or human use. She adds: “We distribute the roles while “Among us, to provide water and food in light of the severe and increasing scarcity.”

The humanitarian crisis is worsening, and there is concern about the return of the specter of famine to Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip in particular, while the Israeli military operation continues in the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, since May 7, the date on which the occupation forces took control of the Rafah border crossing, which... This led to its closure, preventing the entry of goods and aid from the Kerem Shalom crossing for more than three weeks.

The exhaustion of the northern Gaza Strip markets for goods and foodstuffs, with the astonishing rise in the prices of goods available in very limited quantities, coincides with a stifling financial crisis and a lack of purchasing power among citizens who are also suffering from the specter of poverty due to the closure of bank branches and the inability to pay their salaries or provide liquidity. Which enables them to purchase their minimum living requirements.

In this context, the government media office warned of the return of the threat of famine to Gaza and the north, and the worsening food security crisis in the central and southern governorates of the Gaza Strip, after the displacement of tens of thousands from the city of Rafah, at a time when relief efforts are weak, as only about 100 trucks entered via The floating marine pier established by the United States, while only 214 trucks entered the Gaza and North governorates last week, half of which was flour, and six medicine trucks, quantities that are not enough for one day.

The government media demanded in a statement the withdrawal of the Israeli occupation forces from the Rafah crossing, considering that the land crossings are the most effective and feasible for the entry of aid, foodstuffs and goods, calling on the international community to put pressure on the Israeli occupation to allow the entry of aid through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, as well as the activation of the Beit crossings. Hanoun, Shujaiya and Al-Mantar, to prevent the risk of famine and malnutrition.

A group of local, international and international institutions and officials warned of a real famine in the Gaza Strip if the Israeli occupation does not lift its hand from the crossings, which are considered the main lifeline for the Palestinians, and allow the entry of humanitarian aid, food supplies, medicines and fuel, which allows the return of basic and vital services to the Palestinians in the areas of providing... Clean water, health care, and efforts to combat malnutrition.