Abdulhaleem Awad, the head of public relations at Gaza's largest flour and wheat manufacturing mill, Al-Salam Mills, told CNN on Tuesday that they are witnessing a “severe crisis,” operating with a capacity of 25% due to electricity and fuel shortages.
Al-Salam Mills is the only one out of five mills still in operation in southern Gaza, Awad said. Before the war, the mill could produce 480 tonnes of wheat per day or 300 tonnes of flour, Awad added, explaining they are now limited to 75 tonnes daily. He also warned production would stop if they don't get fuel in a few days.
"We don't know what to do, We can't produce enough flour for 2.2 million people,” Awad said, calling on the international community and humanitarian organizations “to rapidly intervene and find a solution to the problem.”
Videos obtained by CNN show hundreds of people standing outside the mill hoping to get flour. People can be seen screaming and asking for flour, and crying women were desperately asking to feed their families. Awad claimed around 90% of bakeries in Gaza are now closed due to airstrikes.
Palastine Hakmat, a mother of seven children, was filmed saying she had been waiting outside the mills for hours, hoping to get some flour for her sick husband and her kids.
“No pieces of bread and no flour,” she said, weeping. “We are slowly dying.”
Ibrahim al-Najar, a father of six kids, said his family is running out of food.
“It's my third day waiting outside the mills. Every day I wait for hours but could not get any flour. Where shall we go? What are we going to eat?” al-Najar said.
Last week, the United Nations said all bakeries were forced to close in northern Gaza.
Here's a look at the vital services affected by Gaza's fuel shortage: