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
The two-state solution is the only path to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab said in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Guangzhou, southern China’s Guangdong Province.
The two-state solution refers to a proposed framework for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, aiming to establish two independent states -- Israel and Palestine -- coexisting in peace and security.
"I believe the core of the conflict is the fact that we have people -- the Palestinians -- that have suffered for almost eight decades, and that are probably the only people in the world today that are under siege, being attacked, being killed. I don't see any other solution other than giving them their own state with 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as their capital, which was what was presented in the Arab Summit 22 years ago in 2002. And the 22 Arab countries were ready to sign a peace treaty based on that condition that the Palestinians will have their own state, their own dignity, their own homeland. And this has not happened since," Diab said in the interview aired on Friday.
Resolving the Palestinian question and achieving lasting peace in the Middle East requires the concerted efforts of the entire international community, including major powers like China, Diab noted.
"It's about global balance of power. So, China, being a major player at the global level, can contribute towards a peace resolution, and they have done that before. But everybody needs an end to this conflict, and the only way to end this conflict is to create a Palestinian state for Palestinians. The two-state solution -- I think, it's only fair -- to have Palestinians have their own state and determine their own future without dictation by anybody," he said.
The former Lebanese leader highlighted China's long-standing ties with Lebanon and the Middle East, emphasizing its proactive and fair role in regional affairs. He noted China's historical connections with the region and its potential contribution to achieving a political resolution, including the widely discussed two-state solution.
"China has always been a friend to Lebanon and a friend to the Middle East. There are Lebanese-Chinese ties from a long time ago at the trade level and so on. And yes, China is playing a proactive role even at the political level. China, as a fair player, would, in my mind, be conducive to reaching the political solution and the two-state solution that everybody talks about," Diab said.
Two-state solution only way to resolve Palestine-Israel conflict: former Lebanese PM
