Gaza City’s only bakery will close in a week if Israel doesn’t allow fuel in, owner warns

Kamel Ajjour, a bakery owner from Gaza, has warned of an imminent famine in northern Gaza as the ongoing Israeli blockade has forced five out of six functioning bakeries in the area to shut down, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported.

“Five out of six bakeries in northern Gaza have shut down due to Israel’s blockade on the entry of fuel and raw materials needed to produce bread,” Ajjour said.

“Our bakery is the only one still functioning in the area and is likely to close within a week if Israel continues to block the entry of fuel and essential supplies,” he added.

Ajjour emphasised that fuel has not been delivered to bakeries in northern Gaza for ten days, noting that “the supply of critical ingredients such as flour, sugar and yeast has been significantly reduced for nearly a month.”

The closure of this bakery would lead to a severe crisis, he stressed.

Ajjour appealed to international organisations, including the UN, to immediately intervene to prevent the outbreak of famine in northern Gaza and for the swift delivery of fuel and essential materials to sustain bread production in the enclave.

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