Nearly two months into Israel’s blockade on humanitarian aid to Gaza’s 2.2 million residents, as Hamas continues to refuse to release the remaining 59 Israeli hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, food prices have skyrocketed as essential supplies dwindle in the Strip. The near-total halt of both humanitarian and commercial deliveries has triggered severe shortages, driving up the cost of basic goods.
Prices for basic goods in Gaza have surged dramatically in recent weeks, with items such as lemons, sugar, and baby diapers now costing more than twice what they did at the beginning of April, according to a survey conducted by the nonprofit organization Christian Aid and cited by the Financial Times.
In northern Gaza, the price of a kilogram of lemons has risen to 60 shekels, or approximately $16.54, while sugar has climbed to 70 shekels, or $19.30. In the southern part of the Strip, a pack of baby diapers now costs around 180 shekels, or $49.62. Cabbage, according to the report, has vanished from the markets entirely. Residents said that meat, poultry, and eggs were also largely unavailable.
World Food Program: We have delivered the final food supplies to Gaza kitchens, which are expected to run out within days. No aid has entered in over seven weeks, with borders shut, food prices up 1,400%, and 116,000 tons of aid stuck at crossing points.
Good thing not all food… pic.twitter.com/aSqYvaKJj1
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The United Nations World Food Program warned last week that it had exhausted its food stocks. All 25 bakeries it supports with flour and fuel have ceased operations. “Food prices have skyrocketed up to 1,400% compared to during the ceasefire, and essential food commodities are in short supply, raising serious nutrition concerns for vulnerable populations,” the agency said in a statement.
Even those who can afford inflated prices often struggle to make purchases, as banking infrastructure has collapsed and Israeli authorities have restricted the entry of physical shekel notes into the enclave. With ATM machines destroyed and banks out of service, some vendors offer cash in exchange for electronic transfers made through banking applications, charging commissions as high as 30% for hard currency.
MALNUTRITION AND WATER SHORTAGES
Malnutrition rates among children in Gaza have surged in recent weeks, reflecting what aid organizations describe as a deepening nutritional crisis caused by the continued absence of food supplies, nutritional supplements, and medical treatment.
In the first half of April, humanitarian groups operating under the Nutrition Cluster conducted screenings for roughly 21,000 children across the enclave. Of those, 641 were diagnosed with moderate malnutrition, while 64 were found to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition, according to the latest data.
The number of children hospitalized for acute malnutrition also rose markedly. In March, 3,696 children were admitted for treatment, compared with 2,027 in February, when a temporary ceasefire allowed greater humanitarian access. Aid officials warn that without immediate and sustained deliveries of food and medical supplies, the situation is likely to deteriorate further.
Gaza’s water crisis continues to intensify amid ongoing infrastructure failures and fuel shortages that have crippled the Strip’s ability to produce and distribute clean water.
On April 16, technicians restored service to the Al-Muntar water line supplying Gaza City, which had been inactive since April 3. Two of the three pipelines transferring water from Israel to Gaza are now operational. However, the third pipeline, which serves the Central Gaza Governorate, has been out of service since January.
According to the Gaza Municipality, the water shortage is particularly acute in neighborhoods where damaged water networks remain unrepaired. The crisis is compounded by a severe fuel shortage; without electricity, the systems responsible for water extraction, desalination, and distribution rely entirely on fuel-powered generators. Aid workers and local officials also warn of a critical lack of purification chemicals, including chlorine, raising concerns over the potential spread of waterborne diseases.
HAMAS REFUSES TO RELEASE THE HOSTAGES
As humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate, a growing number of residents are quietly expressing frustration at Hamas’s refusal to release hostages taken during the October 7 attacks, which many now see as a key factor in prolonging the crisis.
According to interviews conducted by aid workers and local journalists, some Gazans are beginning to draw a direct link between the worsening humanitarian situation and Hamas’s insistence on leveraging the hostages for political gains, particularly in negotiations with Israel over a ceasefire and the release of terrorist prisoners.
“There’s no food, no water, no future,” said one resident in northern Gaza, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. “Why are we still holding on to the hostages if it means we all have to suffer?”
While open criticism of Hamas remains rare and dangerous, aid organizations and observers report subtle but growing discontent, especially as families struggle with acute shortages of food, medicine, and safe shelter. Some community leaders and displaced civilians have voiced concerns in private that the terror group’s rigid stance is coming at the expense of Gaza’s civilian population.
Israeli officials have long argued that increased humanitarian access is contingent upon Hamas releasing the remaining hostages. Hamas, however, has maintained that any such release must be part of a broader political agreement that includes a permanent end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
As the war drags on and conditions become increasingly dire, more Gazans are weighing the cost of that strategy.
