Gaza Food Prices Plummet as Aid Surges
Despite a UN report warning of “extreme hunger” in Gaza, recent data shows food prices plummeting and a surge in aid deliveries, though widespread looting and distribution challenges leave the crisis (still) unresolved.
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Amid a controversial UN report declaring “extreme hunger” in Gaza, recent data shows a sharp drop in food prices and a significant increase in humanitarian aid entering the region, though persistent looting and uneven distribution continue to cloud the extent of the crisis. According to N12 reporter Tomer Almagor, over 90,000 tons of aid, including 86 tons of food, entered Gaza in August alone, 37% above the UN’s estimated 62,000-ton monthly requirement to sustain the Strip’s population.
The influx follows three months of limited aid and two months of none, prompted by international pressure on Israel to ramp up deliveries. Market prices reflect the shift: a kilo of rice, which cost 240 ILS in July, now sells for 17 ILS (a 93% drop), flour fell 84% to 14 ILS per kilo, potatoes dropped 44% to 25 ILS, and sugar plummeted 94% to 15 ILS. The price collapse stems from Israel’s approval of commercial goods entering Gaza, flooding markets compared to July’s scarcity. However, looming IDF operations in Gaza City could disrupt markets and spike prices again.
Despite the progress, challenges abound. Approximately 90% of UN aid trucks are looted before reaching their destinations, with only 596 of 4,341 trucks in the past three months arriving intact, most not carrying food. The US-based Global Humanitarian Fund (GHF) distributed 135 million meals (about 45,000 tons), but its centers are criticized for being far from population hubs and chaotic. Independent organizations, private companies, and 14 countries delivering aid by air and land face similar issues, with air-dropped food constituting a small fraction.
High prices, though reduced, remain unaffordable for many Gazans, compounded by cash-only transactions and 50% fees for cash withdrawals through underground banking systems. Price variations across regions further complicate access. While Israel disputes the UN’s report as false and biased, citing sufficient food inflows, the widespread looting and lack of clear data leave the true scale of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis uncertain.