No food has entered northern Gaza since start of October, putting 1 million people at risk of starvation - UN

Saturday, October 12, 2024 - No food has entered northern Gaza in Palestine since the start of October, putting 1 million people at risk of going hungry, the United Nations’ World Food Programme told CNN on Friday, October 11.

In August, about 700 hundred aid trucks entered northern Gaza then in September, only 400 aid trucks entered, after commercial operations ceased at the Allenby Crossing on the border between the occupied West Bank and Jordan, the WFP added.

But since then no food trucks have entered northern Gaza in October, the WFP has revealed.

On Wednesday this week, the WFP said in a report that the aid entering the Gaza strip has plummeted to its lowest level in months, forcing the organization to stop the distribution of food parcels in October.

“Hunger remains rampant and the threat of famine persists.  If the flow of assistance does not resume, one million vulnerable people will be deprived of this lifeline.” WFP added

Also, two of central Gaza’s main bakeries have been shut down for three days, according to bakery workers in the bordered enclave.

Al-Banna Bakery and Zadna Bakery in Deir al-Balah, both supported by the WFP, have halted operations due to a lack of flour and fuel, bakery workers and residents reportedly told CNN.

“I am the head of a family of six. The day I work, I can feed my family. The day I don’t, we don’t eat,” said Ahmad Abed, an employee at Al-Banna Bakery. “People are chasing flour, and we go to bakeries searching for where bread is available.”

Haitham Badri, a father in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza, said he cannot find enough flour to make bread for his children.

Bread is the number one staple food for Palestinians and has become a crucial basic necessity since the war started just over a year ago.

Earlier this week, the UN’s OCHA said: “September saw the lowest volume of commercial and humanitarian supplies entering Gaza since at least March 2024.”

Israel’s military launched a new ground operation in northern Gaza on October 6, after seeing signs of Hamas rebuilding.