Bread and salty drinking water lines: The Israeli aid bloc returns to Gaza again

Outside the Zadna bakery in the center of Gaza on the afternoon of the last days, the long lines of people waiting for bread were threatening chaos at any moment.

A security guard shouted on the crowds that pushed towards the bakery door to wait for their role. But no one was listening.

A few steps away, beginners shouting on the loaves they obtained earlier that day for three times the original price. The sunset meal that broke fast for the day during the month of Ramadan was approaching, through Gaza, bread, water, cooking gas and other basics – again.

These lines were not desperate, and this empty was not marketed, because before the ceasefire in Israel stopped on January 19. The truce allowed aid to translate into Gaza for the first time after 15 months of conflict, during which the residents received only a group of supplies.

But no assistance has been obtained since March 2. This was today Israel prevented all goods In an attempt to pressure Hamas to accept an extension The current ceasefire stage And launch more hostages sooner, instead of moving to the next stage, which will include more challenging negotiations to permanently end the war.

Now, cutting aid, aggravating due to the purchase of panic and unscrupulous traders who make prices, pay prices to levels that few can provide. The shortage of fresh vegetables, fruits, and height forces people to return again to canned foods such as beans.

Although canned food provides calories, experts say, people – and children in particular – need a diverse diet that includes fresh foods to roam malnutrition.

During the first six weeks of the ceasefire, relief workers and merchants delivered food to conquest, many have been weak for months of malnutrition. Medical supplies for paid hospitals and plastic tubes to restore water and fuel supplies to run everything began to flow.

Data from relief groups and the United Nations showed that children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers were better eating. The United Nations said that more centers have started providing malnutrition treatment.

It was just this Small steps In order to reduce the damage caused by the war, which destroyed more than half of Gaza buildings and placed many of its population, its inhabitants have placed the risk of starvation.

Even with the sharp increase in aid after the truce began, health officials in Gaza reported that at least six children died of declining body temperature in February due to the lack of warm clothes, blankets, shelter or medical care, a number cited by the United Nations. Reports cannot be verified independently.

Most hospitals are still partially working in part, if any.

Relief groups and the United Nations and many of them western Governments urged Israel to allow shipments to appeal and criticize their use of humanitarian relief as a bargaining incentive in negotiations, and in some cases, saying that the pieces violate international law.

Instead, Israel provokes pressure.

Last Sunday, that Cold electricity The supplies to the region – a step that closed most operations in the desalination factory and depriving about 600,000 people in central Gaza of clean drinking water, according to the United Nations.

Israel Energy Minister I hinted that cutting the water may be the next. Auxiliary officials say that some wells are still working in Gaza in central Gaza, but they only provide full water, which are long -term health risks for those who drink them.

Israel had already closed all other electrical sources that it used to provide Gaza, a measure that followed October 7, 2023, an attack led by Hamas on Israel, which started the war. Leave the basic services for operation on solar panels or generators, if the energy is absolutely available.

Now there is no fuel coming for anything, including generators, ambulances or cars.

Israel argues that about 25,000 truck loads of Gaza’s aid in recent weeks have given people sufficient food.

There is no shortage of basic products in the tape at all, “Ministry of Foreign Affairs He said last week. He repeated the assurances that Hamas takes over the aid that enters Gaza and that half of the group’s budget in Gaza comes from the exploitation of the auxiliary trucks.

Hamas described aid and electricity “cheap and unacceptable blackmail.”

Gaza residents say that at the present time, at least, they have food, although it is not often enough.

But the supplies collected by humanitarian groups in the first six weeks of the ceasefire are ActuallyRelief officials warn. This has already forced six bakeries in Gaza to close, assistance groups and community kitchens to reduce the foods they distribute.

The order to prevent the aid also cut off Gaza to the commercial goods imported by merchants.

In the city of Deir Al -Bala in the center of Gaza, the street market was calm this week as sellers’ stocks of fruits, vegetables, oil, sugar and flour were low. Vegetable sellers said that the price of onions and carrots had doubled, and zucchini had almost declined and lemon cost nearly 10 times. It was difficult to find impossible eggplant and potatoes.

As a result, the sellers said that the few customers who still bought only two vegetables, not a kilogram as many did. Others did not have the means to buy anything for several months.

Many gas Loss of their jobs They spent their savings to survive in the war. When the prices rose, they were left almost completely dependent on aid.

Yasmine Uttar, 38, and her husband, the driver, wandered from procrastination to procrastination in the Deir Bala Market, looking for the cheapest prices on another day. They have seven children, the sister of the disabled and two elderly parents to support.

Mrs. Al Atttst said it was difficult enough to provide the minimum ingredients for Iftar, a meal that is broken daily during Ramadan. But with a fuel ban, it was also difficult to find fuel for her husband’s car and cooking.

She said, “Just three days ago, I felt some relief because the prices seemed reasonable.” Now, the same money will not only be enough for a much lower amount of vegetables.

“How can this be enough for my big family?” She said.

And she said that night, they are likely to make lentils, without vegetables. And then? Perhaps more canned food.

The owners of procrastination and shoppers alike blamed merchants on a large scale in this deficiency, at least, saying that they were store supplies to raise prices and increase their profits to the maximum. Issa Fayad, 32, a vegetable seller in Deir Baraa, said any vegetables available at reasonable prices captured and reselling to much more.

Khalil Razik, 38, a police officer in the city of Khan Yunis in the center of Gaza, said that people did not rush to buy to buy more than they needed as soon as they hear about the Israeli decision of the siege aid again.

Police officers and shoppers said Hamas officers warned companies against shaking prices. In some cases, Mr. Reziq said, his unit confiscated the sellers’ goods and sold them cheaper immediately.

But such measures did not do much to solve the basic symptom.

In addition to the immediate challenge of providing food, water, medical supplies and tents to Ghazan-several thousand of them are displaced-relief officials said that their inability to restore supplies has regained long-term recovery efforts.

Some were distributing the seeds of vegetables and animal fodder to farmers so that Gaza could raise more food, while others were working to rebuild the water infrastructure and disinfect the debris and uninterrupted ammunition.

Aid officials said none of this was easy, because Israel may restrict or Obtained elements Including heavy machines required to repair infrastructure, generators and more. Israel confirms that Palestinian militants can use these elements for military purposes.

For many Ghazan now, the focus is to survive.

“There is no bombing at the present time, but I still feel that I live in war with everything I deal with,” said Nevin Siam, 38, who refers to her brother’s house with 30 other people.

She said that her entire sister’s members were killed during the fighting. Her children ask her to make Ramadan meals like those they remember by the war. But without income, she can only get canned food in aid packages.

She said that there are any celebrations and there is no festive adornment for the holy month.

She said, “It seems as if joy has been extinguished.”

Ericand Emira Harroda and Rania Khaled The reports contributed.