The shortage of flour and fuel in Gaza caused by Israeli restrictions on aid has left local markets without basic essentials, and has triggered warnings over looming famine if conditions do not change. Palestinians in Gaza rely heavily on bread as a staple food, particularly following over two years of brutal war carried out by Israel that has left most foods difficult to obtain. Amid the genocidal war on Gaza, which commenced in October 2023 and resulted in the killing of over 72,000 Palestinians, Israel cut off supplies to the Strip, causing hundreds of people to die from malnutrition.

Famine was also declared in some parts of the north of the enclave in 2025 but the UN said that it was over following a ceasefire last October. Reports on Saturday said that in recent days thousands of civilians have been lining up daily for hours, hoping to buy some bread. Ismail al-Thawbata, the director general of the government media office in Gaza, told reporters that the enclave is facing a "serious deterioration" in terms of food insecurity.

He added that the Israeli military has stopped the entry of aid into the Strip, and that Gaza requires at least 450 tonnes of flour daily, but receives less than 200 tonnes. Al-Thawbata also pointed out that only 30 bakeries are currently operating, a sharp decline in pre-war levels. Gaza’s government media office says that the sharp decline in basic goods such as bread is partly due to key organisations, such as the World Central Kitchen, putting a halt to daily flour deliveries, as well as cuts to the World Food Programme’s (WFP) aid, which has had a knock on effect on supplies.

The dire conditions and increasing levels of food insecurity comes despite terms outlined in the October ceasefire agreement, which states that 600 truckloads of aid should enter Gaza daily. However, the actual levels of aid delivered in Gaza is only around 38 percent of this. Around 100,00 children and 37,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are facing acute levels of food insecurity, the WFP states.

Soaring prices of basic items have also left civilians unable to feed their families. Meanwhile, a health crisis is also unfolding in Gaza, due to Israel’s destruction of key infrastructure, such as sewage networks and landfills. Reports state that rodents and insects are spreading in displacement camps, with civil society committees warning over disease outbreaks.

Many displacement tents are polluted with sewage, waste, and insects, with aid groups noting that this can have severe health risks for children, the elderly and the sick. Young people in the enclave have started initiatives to try to clean up displacement camps but are unable to deal with the scale of the issue due to a lack of resources, tools, and heavy equipment. Those involved in the initiatives also told local media that one of the key challenges has been getting rid of rats in camps, due to Israel placing a ban on rat poison and any tools or chemicals used to combat the pest issue.

Hospitals in the enclave have further reported a rise in patients coming in with bites from rodents, indicating that the health crisis is growing at a rapid rate. This comes as hospitals also face a shortage in medicines and basic tools to be able to effectively treat patients.