Palestinians risking airstrikes to get bread amid extreme scarcity, UN warns

WASHINGTON

Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip are risking death and injury from Israeli airstrikes in order to receive desperately needed bread, the UN warned Friday amid extreme scarcity in the coastal enclave.

"People are lining up for hours, we're told, in front of bakeries. That exposes them to the impact of airstrikes," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

Painting a picture of the dire situation for many in Gaza, Dujarric said, "essential food items such as rice and vegetable oil are nearly depleted in public markets. Other items including flour, dairy products, eggs and mineral water have disappeared from the shelves in shops across Gaza in the past two days."

Food deliveries have not been able to reach northern Gaza, where Israel is currently waging the bulk of its ground invasion, for the past eight days, according to the UN. No bakery is currently operating in the region due to a lack of fuel, water and wheat flour, as well as damage sustained during the ongoing war.

Meanwhile, in southern Gaza, the only operative bread mill cannot function due to a lack of power and fuel, Dujarric said. Just one bakery contracted by the World Food Program is able to produce bread, and even that is intermittent, he said.

Less than 100 trucks carrying humanitarian aid are making it into Gaza per day -- about one-fifth of pre-war level -- amid an Israeli siege that has significantly curtailed deliveries.

Dujarric described the volume as a "trickle" of what's needed, stressing that the level is "not due to our lack of ability to meet the needs."