Food is becoming increasingly scarce in Gaza after Israel cut off fuel supplies to the region, leaving residents of the enclave in fear of hunger without the ability to do basic cooking.
As Israel continues to close the Gaza Strip crossings, several bakeries have shut down due to the depletion of gas needed to operate them.
Hundreds of Palestinians are once again lining up for hours in front of the few remaining bakeries to obtain bread - a task that has become extremely challenging.
"I waited in line for over three hours just to get one loaf of bread. I had to come early to make sure I can get some. We're afraid that the bakeries will close," said Ibtihal, a Palestinian refugee.
Palestinians have been forced to return to cooking their food over open fires after the domestic gas supply ran out. Their suffering deepens as the search for firewood and drinking water becomes increasingly difficult.
"We've been living in a tent since we returned, and we haven't had cooking gas for two months. We cook our food over a fire, but firewood is scarce. We're using cardboard now, which affects my health," said another Palestinian refugee.
At the same time, food stocks, including meat and dairy products, are running low, and the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan, when demand for food increases, has exacerbated shortages. This leaves Gazans vulnerable to hunger and disease.
"In just a few days, we'll face a worsening humanitarian crisis. The most vulnerable — women, children, the elderly, and the sick — will suffer the most, deprived of even the most basic necessities. Severe hunger is imminent," said Amjad Shawa, head of the Palestinian NGO Network.
Fuel shortages and power outages have severely affected water supplies. UNICEF has warned that water shortages in Gaza have reached critical levels, with only one in 10 people currently able to access safe drinking water.
Gazans live in fear of hunger amid Israeli fuel cuts
Israel has vowed to continue with its airstrikes on Gaza, after a fresh wave of bombardment led to the collapse of a two-month ceasefire early Tuesday, with its officials saying that the attacks will not stop until it secures the release of all remaining hostages from Hamas captivity.
On Tuesday, the Israeli army conducted intense airstrikes on northern and central Gaza Strip, marking the most violent escalation since a ceasefire agreement took effect on Jan. 19.
According to Israeli media reports, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement following Tuesday's airstrikes that if Hamas does not release all hostages, "the gates of hell will open in Gaza," and Hamas will encounter the Israeli military "with an intensity they have never known before."
Meanwhile, Danny Danon, Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), also said in a post on his social media account that Israel will show "no mercy" until all hostages are returned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced early Tuesday that Netanyahu and Katz had ordered the military to "operate against Hamas with increasingly powerful military force."
According to the statement, the move followed what it described as Hamas's "repeated refusal to release hostages" and rejection of proposals presented by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and other mediators.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, Hamas accused Netanyahu and Israeli government of "resuming aggression and a war of genocide" against civilians in the Gaza Strip, holding Israel fully responsible for the repercussions of the renewed escalation.
Hamas accused Netanyahu's government of deliberately overturning the ceasefire agreement, thereby exposing prisoners in Gaza to an uncertain fate.
Hamas further appealed to the United Nations and the UN Security Council to "convene urgently to adopt a resolution obligating Israel to immediately halt its aggression and implement Resolution 2735, which calls for an end to hostilities and a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip."
Israel says Gaza strikes won't stop until release of all hostages; Hamas decries "war of genocide"
