Long queues form before dawn at bakeries across Gaza, where Palestinians wait hours for what many describe as their family's daily survival ration – typically one bag of bread containing 10-12 loaves. The worsening shortage has left residents rationing meals and sparked concerns about malnutrition among children and the elderly.
"We queue from 4 AM just to get this," said Ahmed Mansour, a father of five holding a single bread bag in Deir al-Balah. "My children ask why we can't have sandwiches like before. What do I tell them? That wheat flour costs more than meat now?"
Local authorities attribute the crisis to disrupted supply chains and funding shortfalls in international aid programs. The World Food Programme reports Gaza's food insecurity rates have reached 85% this year, with wheat reserves at their lowest since 2020.
Humanitarian organizations are calling for urgent intervention as summer temperatures approach, warning that food scarcity combined with Gaza's strained water infrastructure could create a public health emergency.
