Today (Tuesday), the United Nations warned of a severe shortage of basic resources such as water, food and medicine in the Gaza Strip in light of the continued Israeli aggression for 18 days, according to what was reported by the German News Agency.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Aid Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement that only five of the 24 bakeries contracted with the World Food Program in Gaza are operating and supplying shelters with bread.

The statement stated that the lack of fuel necessary to operate electric generators constitutes the main obstacle preventing bakeries from meeting the local demand for fresh bread, which exposes them to the risk of closure.

According to the statement, bakeries are facing difficulties, as long queues form before dawn, and the average waiting time is six hours, and residents endure this wait to get half the normal portion.

Furthermore, as of yesterday, 17 of the 202 stores contracted with the World Food Program were forced to close. This closure comes as a result of the devastation caused by the hostilities, especially within Gaza City and the northern Gaza governorates, or due to security concerns and blocked roads caused by debris. .

The statement stated that on October 21, the World Food Program indicated that stocks of basic food commodities inside Gaza were sufficient for approximately 13 days.

Despite the availability of basic food items, retailers face major challenges when restocking food from local wholesalers due to widespread destruction and insecurity.

Wholesalers are mainly located in Gaza City and face difficulties in distributing food stocks available in the southern region.

Due to flour and fuel shortages, bakeries are unable to meet local demand for fresh bread and are at risk of closing. The only operating mill cannot process wheat due to power outages.

The cumulative number of displaced people since the start of the round of fighting in Gaza is estimated at more than 1.4 million people. This number includes approximately 590,000 people residing in 150 United Nations educational directorates, and 101,500 people residing in hospitals, churches, and other public buildings.

The number of displaced people in many shelters reached 4,400, while they were designed to host between 1,500 and 2,000 displaced people in each shelter. In many shelters, up to 70 people are housed in one classroom.

It is estimated that more than 15% of internally displaced people suffer from disabilities, but most shelters are not adequately equipped to meet their needs.

The shelters lack the necessary mattresses and medical beds, which causes ulcers and other medical problems that cannot be treated in unsterile conditions. The food distributed also does not meet the needs of people who have difficulty swallowing. For the fourteenth day in a row since October 11, Gaza suffers from a complete power outage, following Israel’s suspension of electricity and fuel supplies to Gaza, which in turn led to the closure of the only power plant in Gaza.

This forced the basic service infrastructure to rely on backup generators, which are limited due to the scarcity of fuel in the Strip. Goods entering Gaza since October 21 through the Rafah crossing do not include fuel.

Four out of 20 trucks that entered Gaza through the Rafah crossing yesterday were carrying vital medical supplies, and these supplies will play a crucial role in strengthening the response to shocks and sustaining basic health care services.

The World Health Organization is coordinating with the Palestine Red Crescent Society to facilitate the rapid delivery of these supplies to major hospitals. Five of the main hospitals in Gaza have resorted to setting up tents inside their complexes to accommodate patients due to the lack of available space. Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which is the largest in the Gaza Strip, treats About 5,000 patients, which far exceeds its capacity of 700 patients, in addition to approximately 45,000 displaced people who took refuge in and around the hospital. Al-Quds Hospital, which is also located in Gaza City, accommodates more than 400 patients and about 12,000 displaced people. The United Nations statement warned that: These and other hospitals are on the verge of collapse due to the lack of electricity, medicines, equipment, and specialized personnel, and large numbers of patients are being treated on the ground due to the lack of sufficient hospital beds. In addition to fuel shortages, hospital operations are being undermined by frequent breakdowns and malfunctioning of backup generators, which were not designed to operate without interruption. Its maintenance and repair face increasing challenges due to the shortage of necessary spare parts. The Ministry of Health requested the deployment of international medical teams, especially those with experience in the field of trauma treatment and surgical care, to enhance hospital capabilities and provide relief to health workers who have worked tirelessly over the past 17 days.