The total blockade on aid entering Gaza imposed by the Israeli authorities is resulting in shortages of desperately needed food and fuel, and putting women at increased risk of exploitation, ActionAid’s partners in Gaza are warning.
For eleven days now, no food, water, medicines, fuel or other essentials have entered Gaza. As a result, food prices have soared, pushing basic items out of reach for many families. According to reports, six bakeries have already been forced to close after running out of cooking gas. On Sunday, the Israeli authorities cut off the electricity supply to the strip, causing water production at Gaza’s only operational desalination plant – which provides safe drinking water to half a million people – to drop.
Nourhan, a member of a youth group run by Palestinian Development Women Studies Association (PDWSA), ActionAid’s partner in Gaza, said:
“When the crossings were closed, all aid [into Gaza] stopped. It immediately had a negative impact: the prices of all goods increased. It is difficult for people to obtain food, to the point that there are people who go days without any [food].
Stopping the entry of aid through the crossings [into Gaza] has led to a crazy rise in prices of basic food items such as sugar, tea, rice and flour. The price of flour has increased the most.”
Dr Mohammed Salha, acting director of northern Gaza’s Al-Awda Hospital, run by ActionAid’s partner Al-Awda, said:
“There is a big shortage of food in the markets, and also a shortage of fuel. People can’t buy food…because it’s very expensive. It’s affecting women, especially pregnant women, because there is no food.
More than 20 women are giving birth in the hospital every day. Really, it [has] affected their lives and their health, especially the [lack of] food and the shortage of medication and medical supplies.
[The hospital’s] store of fuel [is decreasing] because [the Israeli authorities] closed all the borders and ports. I hope [this] will be finished soon [so] the medication, medical supplies, fuel and food [can enter] the north.”
Sahar, head of the Palestinian Development Women Studies Association (PDWSA), ActionAid’s partner in Gaza, said:
“The blocking of humanitarian aid to Gaza and its impact on women is devastating. We will face a gas crisis, a bread crisis, and other major crises, in addition to the lack of water.
Many Palestinian families depend heavily on food aid, provided by humanitarian institutions and organizations. Blocking aid…exposes women and families to a great risk of hunger…[and] increases poverty in society.”
Women were particularly impacted, she said:
“The social burden on women will increase as they will bear additional responsibilities to search for an alternative to food, an alternative to gas, an alternative to water, an alternative to clothes…and have to manage limited resources,” said Sahar.
Women also become vulnerable to exploitation and abuse due to financial pressures and the lack of [essentials]. It is possible that women become vulnerable to exploitation by some merchants or service providers. [The situation] will certainly cause an increase in domestic violence in society.”
Even before this latest aid blockade, the level of need in Gaza was staggering, and essential supplies were scarce after 15 months of war and tight restrictions on aid. Now, humanitarian organisations will find it even harder to support people. Sahar said:
“We will certainly be greatly affected as an association…we will find it difficult to find [essential items] and deliver them to women. The quantities of food and essential items that we are able to deliver will decrease because their prices have doubled.”
As the occupying power, the Israeli authorities are obligated under international humanitarian law to provide unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to Gaza. The International Court of Justice has also ordered the Israeli authorities to provide basic services and humanitarian assistance to those in Gaza.
Riham Jafari, advocacy and communications coordinator at ActionAid Palestine, said:
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating rapidly. People were already struggling to survive and access enough food, water, and medical care. Now vital infrastructure and services like hospitals, bakeries, community kitchens, sewage facilities and water plants are at risk of grinding to a halt without the fuel and supplies they need to operate – with unimaginable consequences for people in Gaza.
Depriving people of life-saving aid is a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law and will undoubtedly cost many lives. We demand that all border crossings are opened, and humanitarian supplies are delivered to Gaza immediately and at scale.”
ENDS
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