The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) resumed operations at its bakery in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, marking a significant step in addressing food insecurity in the region.
This bakery, capable of producing 650,000 pita breads daily, adds to the recent reopening of two other bakeries in the central Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of operational bakeries in Gaza to more than 23. Together, these facilities produce over 3 million pitas per day, crucial for meeting the dietary needs of Gazans.
The move comes in the wake of promises made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the political and security cabinet to bolster humanitarian aid to Gaza, as outlined by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Israel last week.
Jamie McGoldrick, the UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for the “Occupied Palestinian Territory,” emphasized the recognition by Israel of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and its commitment to facilitating increased aid to those in need. He highlighted plans for enhanced coordination between humanitarian organizations and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Southern Command, including the establishment of a coordination cell.
Among the agreed-upon measures are plans to temporarily reopen the Erez Crossing to facilitate the movement of essential supplies such as food, water, sanitation items, shelter, and healthcare materials from the Ashdod port. Additionally, there are plans to double the number of trucks entering Gaza through the Allenby Bridge crossing from 25 to at least 50 per day.
The operating hours of the Kerem Shalom and Nitsana crossings will be expanded, with an anticipated increase in the number of trucks scanned daily by an additional 100. Furthermore, efforts will be made to enhance scanner and staff capacity at the Kerem Shalom crossing to expedite the transfer of aid into Gaza.
Assurances have been given for the activation of 20 bakeries in North Gaza and the restart of the Nahal Oz water line in the same region, underscoring the commitment to addressing critical humanitarian needs in the area.