Government Media Office: The occupation is practicing a systematic “starvation engineering” in Gaza

The Government Media Office confirmed that the Gaza Strip is subjected to what it described as a systematic, deliberate, and escalating “starvation engineering” practiced by the Israeli occupation. This is achieved through complete control over the entry of basic goods, especially flour and bread, amidst the ongoing siege imposed on the Strip. This poses a direct threat to the food security of more than 2.4 million people in the Gaza Strip. In a press statement followed by Shehab News Agency, the office explained that recent months have witnessed a dangerous decline in bread production due to a severe shortage of flour. This is compounded by the severe restrictions on the entry of goods and humanitarian aid. The quantities allowed in, even under the best of circumstances, have not exceeded 38% of the total amount that entered before the genocidal war, despite the agreement within the humanitarian protocol to allow the entry of 600 trucks daily—an agreement which the occupation has completely disregarded. The journalist also noted that the World Central Kitchen had completely halted its flour support, after previously providing between 20 and 30 tons daily. The World Food Programme had also reduced its flour allocation from 300 tons to 200 tons per day. Furthermore, several other organizations had suspended their bread and flour subsidy programs, exacerbating the crisis in the Gaza Strip. According to the statement, the daily flour requirement for the Gaza Strip is approximately 450 tons, while only about 200 tons are currently available, creating a severe daily gap in the population’s needs. He explained that around 30 bakeries are currently operating, producing approximately 133,000 loaves of bread daily. Of these, 48,000 loaves are distributed free of charge, and 85,000 are sold at subsidized prices through 142 authorized outlets. However, these quantities do not cover the actual needs of the population, especially given the reduction in international aid. The government media office warned of the real dangers of the remaining humanitarian aid being halted, which could lead to the complete collapse of the bread system and reinforce what it described as the starvation policy pursued by the “Israeli” occupation against civilians in the Gaza Strip.