The Gaza Strip is currently facing severe shortages of staple foods, with wheat flour, eggs, and dairy products running out over the past two days. This grim assessment comes from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which monitors the humanitarian situation on the ground. The shortages are not isolated to a single item; across the spectrum, families are struggling to access basic nutrition, and aid groups warn that the situation could deteriorate further if deliveries and fuel supplies do not improve. The UN and partner agencies emphasize that these gaps threaten the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly, who rely on predictable food assistance to maintain their daily caloric intake and essential nutrients.
In a briefing, the UN highlighted that stocks of several essential foods—such as rice and cooking oil—are nearing exhaustion. This fog of scarcity is compounded by ongoing disruptions to farming, storage, and distribution networks, which hamper the ability of bakeries, markets, and refugee shelters to provide steady meals. The cumulative effect is a mounting risk of malnutrition and hunger among tens of thousands of residents who already live with restricted access to safe water and reliable electricity.
According to the UN, not a single bakery was operating in the sector on November 9 due to a combination of shelling, fuel shortages, and a lack of water and wheat flour. Amid these constraints, eight bakeries in southern Gaza and one bakery cooperating with the World Food Programme continued to supply bread to refugee shelters, but lines for bread stretched for hours. The long queues heighten the danger for civilians, who face exposure to ongoing air and ground attacks as they await basic sustenance in crowded camps and shelters. The persistence of such outages underscores the fragile state of humanitarian access in many parts of the territory.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that Gaza requires approximately 500 truckloads of humanitarian aid each day to meet even the most urgent needs. This figure reflects a stark gap between what is needed and what can realistically reach communities amid conflict, blockades, and damaged infrastructure. Health facilities, vaccines, medicines, and essential medical supplies remain at risk of disruption at a time when demand for these resources is highest, and aid organizations warn that interruption could lead to preventable disease and mortality.
The broader context of the Middle East crisis intensified after thousands of Hamas militants crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, marking the launch of what Hamas described as Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the country was at war, triggering a series of military and political actions that reshaped civilian life across the region. The conflict prompted international concern as communities faced bombardments, displacement, and rising casualties, with competing obligations to protect civilians and deter further escalation. The immediate aim of Israel’s military campaign, labeled Operation Iron Sword by officials, has been described as a multi-faceted effort to repel the attack, secure the release of more than 200 hostages, and undermine Hamas. As part of this strategy, Israel launched significant rocket strikes into the Gaza Strip from the outset, while security authorities decided to curb the flow of water, food, goods, electricity, and fuel into the territory. Humanitarian aid shipments were eventually routed through the Rafah crossing, but their volume and speed remained insufficient to meet urgent needs, particularly in crowded camps and urban centers. The arduous logistics and ongoing fighting have created a precarious environment for civilians awaiting relief and safe passage.
On October 27, Israel announced a broad expansion of its ground operation inside Gaza. Although the exact start date of such operations was not precisely disclosed, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had already evacuated their homes, seeking shelter in safer areas and southern parts of the region. By November 5, Israeli Armed Forces had encircled Gaza City as part of the ground offensive and cut off its supply lines, intensifying the fight in central Gaza and leaving residents with dwindling access to necessities. The escalation has driven a humanitarian emergency and heightened the urgency for sustained international aid and diplomatic efforts to protect civilians amid ongoing hostilities.
Former far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir remarked that providing only “hundreds of tons of explosives” and not enough humanitarian relief would be unacceptable until civilian hostages are released, underscoring the political and military pressures shaping response strategies. His comments reflect the harsh realities of hosting negotiations and military objectives amid a volatile security landscape, where the balance between security interests and humanitarian obligations remains a central and contested issue for policymakers, international organizations, and local communities alike. (Attribution: UN OCHA; WHO; government statements)