Nutella Fever: It Seems Like a European Country, But it's Gaza.
Explore how a new Nutella-themed bakery in Gaza challenges narratives about the region's food crisis, highlighting contrasts between scarcity and abundance in different areas.
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Gaza has a brand new hotspot for sweet treats: Nutella Sweet & Cafe, a bakery specializing in pastries and desserts centered around the popular hazelnut spread, opened on September 1st. The sudden craze for Nutella comes amid a steady influx of supplies to Gaza, filled with an abundance of the famous desert jars. Would this be a Nutella party?
September began with shipments alone delivering large quantities of the beloved almond-based spread, while the Gazans transporting it seemed to be not surprised, even laughing about the situation. And they didn't seem very hungry.
The bakery’s opening, and the popularity of Nutella-based products, underscores the complexity of the food situation in Gaza. While international reports highlight a supposed humanitarian crisis and widespread food scarcity, recent footage and investigations reveal a more nuanced reality. Markets and restaurants across Gaza appear well-stocked, with local patrons frequenting cafes and bakeries, even as certain neighborhoods experience severe shortages.
In recent news, it became possible to notice that uneven distribution of food aid, often intercepted or controlled by Hamas, has created stark contrasts between areas of scarcity and pockets of abundance. Inside Gaza Strip, while parts of the population endure hunger and chaos, businesses continue to operate, catering to those who seem to have considerable amounts of still disposable income.Today, the 10% richest Gazans are the ones mantaining the luxurious business' working in their full power. Is there famine? In some selected areas, yes, but for the ones with money, this reality never came.
“The truth in Gaza is layered,” said a regional analyst. “Yes, there is need and hardship, but there are also markets, functioning bakeries, and everyday life continuing amid the conflict. Selective reporting and staged narratives have turned information itself into a battleground.”
The launch of Nutella Sweet & Cafe may seem minor for some, but it reflects this duality: a city facing real challenges while simultaneously enjoying the richness of european goods, thowing a "Nutella party."
No one disputes that Hamas’ policies and actions have contributed to hardship for the residents of Gaza. Yet the images of crowded bakeries, new cafes, and celebrations around everyday treats like Nutella highlight a stark contrast with the narrative of total deprivation. It has been argued that the selective circulation of dramatic or staged footage has amplified the perception of famine and crisis, turning propaganda into a powerful tool for shaping international opinion. Even almost 80 years later, Joseph Goebbels’ formula of “lie, lie, until they believe” seems to be working well.