Via Norman Finkelstein. Saleh Shaik. Oct 22
Gaza – Exclusive
Engineered famine has returned to the Gaza Strip, suddenly and without warning. For more than a week, no flour, sugar, fruits or vegetables have entered the Strip.
The occupation closed Kerem Shalom crossing, the only commercial crossing, and prevented trucks loaded with basic materials from entering, in a new attempt to bring back the specter of starvation to Gaza, which is still suffering from the consequences of the genocidal war that has continued for more than 3 years.
Markets almost empty and prices on fire
A tour in Gaza City markets today reveals the catastrophe (1 USD = 3.06 shekels):
A 25 kg bag of flour rose from $8.1 (25 shekels) to $26.1 (80 shekels), a kilo of onions jumped from $2.2 to $5.8 (18 shekels), tomatoes from $3.5 to $6.5 (20 shekels), and chicken breast from $11.4 to $15.6 (48 shekels), while fruits have completely disappeared and what remains is sold for $9.8 per kilo (30 shekels).
A family of 5 that used to secure its daily meal for $10 now needs more than $25 today.
Not just a crossing crisis.. The occupation dictates what is sold
Commercial sources confirmed that the Zionist side is not only preventing entry, but is directly pressuring traders and dictating to them what should and should not be sold. Despite announcing the resumption of coordination through Kerem Shalom, entry was deliberately limited to items outside the basic food basket, excluding vegetables, fruits and meats.
Under this pressure, some traders hid goods in warehouses and raised their prices insanely, making illicit profits at the expense of the hungry.
The catastrophe is compounded by the World Food Programme's announcement two days ago that it is stopping aid for half a million people in Gaza due to a funding shortfall of $450 million, threatening a catastrophic famine for 1.4 million citizens, while the Ministry of Health confirms that 157 children have died from malnutrition since 2024.
