Gaza faces catastrophe as aid runs out and prices soar

Soaring prices of basic food-stuffs, diminishing stocks of medical supplies and sharp cuts to aid distribution threaten newly catastrophic conditions across Gaza, Palestinians and international aid officials in the battered territory are warning.

- By Jason Burke JERUSALEM Malak A Tantesh GAZA

Humanitarian organisations including the World Food Programme and Unrwa, which supplies food and services to more than 2 million Palestinians across Gaza, have now distributed the last of their stocks of flour and other foodstuffs to the dozens of community kitchens in the territory that serve basic meals to those with no other option.

Aid groups' warehouses were filled during the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that came into effect in mid-January and ended in early March. They are now empty.

"There isn’t anything left to give them now, so once the last supplies have been used up, the kitchens will have to close,” said one senior UN official. “At the moment people are holding up OK but we know from other crises that when things deteriorate, they deteriorate very fast, and we are not far from that point.”

Within hours of the ceasefire’s collapse almost two months ago, Israel blocked food, fuel, medicine or other items from entering Gaza.

The 47 community kitchens, which provide only lentils, plain pasta or rice, have already reduced portions.

"These people who depend on us are threatened with starvation if this kitchen closes,” said Hani Abu Qasim, of the Rafah Charity Kitchen in Gaza.