The Israeli Occupation continues to close the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing for the 39th day, aggravating the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
The Ministry of Health announced that the health and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip has reached "dangerous and catastrophic" levels, suffering a near-total collapse due to the ongoing closure of the crossings and the unprecedented increase in medical and humanitarian needs.
The Gaza Strip's markets are empty of all basic food supplies, forcing people to eat the remaining canned goods and falafel for their meals, which prices has risen dramatically, due to the high prices of cooking oil and chickpeas, besides the severe shortage of cooking gas. The closure has led to a near-total paralysis of the movement of humanitarian supplies, amid the continued aggression and military escalation against the Gaza Strip.  A few days ago, the World Food Programme announced that 25 bakeries it supported with flour had stopped operating due to a shortage of flour. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) predicted that malnutrition and disease rates would rise in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Occupation's refusal to allow aid into the Strip, leading to shortages of food, potable water, shelter, and medical supplies. It predicted this would lead to an increase in the number of child deaths in Gaza.