No bread or escape for Gazans trapped by Israel's offensive in Rafah

Death has become easier than life, says displaced Palestinian who lives in a tent near the rubble of his home

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Palestinians in southern Gaza's Rafah, the subject of Israeli eviction notices, are grappling with whether to stay or leave, as passage out of the area becomes more dangerous by the hour and food supplies dwindle.

Yet more misery may be in store after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced a major expansion of its offensive in Rafah and a military takeover of "large areas" of the enclave on Wednesday, after resuming hostilities on March 18. The enclave had been experiencing a rare moment of calm as part of a six-week ceasefire, but neither Hamas nor Israel could agree to move on to the next stage of the deal or extend it after the first phase expired on March 1.

Israel's closure of borders into Gaza since March 2, coinciding with the beginning of Ramadan, has slashed the availability of flour and fuel, forcing bakeries across the strip to shut down.

Ehab Hijazi, 29, is trapped in the north of Rafah with four other families in one house. He is unable to leave because of the dangers that await him outside, inflated prices of transport and the absence of an immediate safe space for him to seek refuge.

“Like us, many others were unable to leave Rafah. We remained behind, enduring heavy shelling and the constant sound of artillery bombardment," he told The National.

Since the breakdown of the ceasefire last month, when Israel ordered people to move and expanded its areas of operation, the “no-go” zones in Gaza now constitute more than 60 per cent of the strip, said Olga Cherevko, a spokeswoman for the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

On Wednesday morning, Mr Hijazi said he was shocked to see the army had advanced into the area in which he is living. Now, he is surrounded by armoured vehicles, soldiers and killer drones. With each day that passes, he is running out of food and water.

"If no solution is found, our fate will be either death by gunfire, bombing, or starvation and thirst."

Bread blockade

The World Food Programme (WFP) had been working to mitigate hunger in Gaza by supporting bakeries across the strip with flour, fuel, yeast, salt and sugar. But with borders still closed, the organisation said it was suspending operations due to depleted stocks and further supplies prevented from entering.

"All 25 WFP-supported bakeries in Gaza have shut down due to lack of fuel and flour," the UN agency said in a statement. The WFP will "distribute its last food parcels in the next two days", it added.

Palestinians gather to buy bread from a bakery in Deir Al Balah, central Gaza. Reuters

"These bakeries relied entirely on the WFP’s aid because the [Israeli] occupation prohibited their owners from directly importing the essential ingredients needed to produce bread," Abdul Nasser Al Ajrami, head of the Gaza Bakeries Association, told The National.

Gaza requires 450 tonnes of flour a day to meet the population’s needs but at the rate of demand, and a lack of supply, whatever is available might only last a few more days, he warned.

Public outrage

Despite the risks, Palestinians in Gaza have also come out to protest, demanding Hamas be removed from power and an end of the war.

Their message is not only for Israel's bombardment to end but for Hamas to make an effort in resuming peace talks and prevent the situation from escalating.

For Mohammed Abu Al Ish, 34, who lives in a tent with his four children near the rubble of his destroyed home in northern Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp, speaking out is the only viable option.

"Participating in the protests has become like a form of emotional release for me, a way to escape our harsh reality," he said.

He blames Hamas and Israel for the situation in Gaza and has vowed to keep demonstrating as long as people are taking to the streets.

"It’s hard for us to accept this life and the world needs to know that we’ve had enough. Death has become easier than continuing to live this way."