ActionAid Palestine Supports the Construction of Clay Ovens Amidst Bread Crisis in Gaza
Gaza Strip – Palestine: In response to the growing needs in the Gaza Strip, ActionAid Palestine(AAP), in partnership with the Al-Wafaa Association for Child and Women Care, has supported the construction of clay ovens as part of the project “Enhancing the Leadership Roles and Impact of Palestinian Youth and Young Women for Resilient, Just, and Green Communities” in the Al-Jura Al-Aqad camp for dispalced people in Gaza. This support comes amid the worsening food crisis due to the ongoing Israeli attacks and the complete blockade imposed on the besieged Gaza Strip, which has led to extensive damage to hospitals, schools, and other vital infrastructure, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region.
This intervention aims to meet the needs of women in the camp by providing safe spaces for getting bread, as well as distributing bread for free to women to mitigate their suffering from waiting in long queues. The project aims at enhancing the resilience of local communities, as the mud ovens offer a sustainable cooking source using local materials, contributing to reducing dependence on traditional fuel, which has become scarce.
The goal of the project is to provide a sustainable and safe cooking source for displaced families in the camp, at a time when the entire Gaza Strip is suffering from a severe shortage of fuel and traditional cooking resources. The clay ovens contribute to enhancing environmental sustainability by using local and renewable materials, while also helping to reduce the economic costs for families.
Nisreen, a widowed displaced woman working in the Al-Jura Al-Aqad camp, speaks about the suffering of the people: "we are in desperate need of these ovens because we have nothing left. People are unable to provide bread, firewood, or flour because their prices are so high."
Every morning, crowds gather outside the few bakeries that are still operational in Gaza, where people desperately try to get a loaf of bread at the limited distribution points. United Nations-backed assessments last month warned of the looming threat of famine in northern Gaza, due to hindering of food aid after Israel launched a ground military attack in the north. Basic items including water, fresh produce, and medicine have become extremely scarce.
According to testimonies from residents in recent months, Gazans wake up early in the morning to stand in long queues to ensure they get some flour or bread. Many people spend an entire day, from 8 to 10 hours, just to obtain a loaf of bread. It has become extremely difficult to find 50-kilogram (110-pound) sacks of flour that used to last them for weeks before the war.
As of December 9, only 4 out of 19 bakeries supported by the World Food Program were operational in the Gaza Strip, all located in Gaza Governorate, where the flow of wheat flour remained relatively consistent. The market reports on December 1st indicated that the price of a bag of flour had reached at least 1,000 shekels (280 USD) in Deir al-Balah and 875 shekels (245 USD) in Khan Yunis.
Before the war, a 100-shekel (about 30 USD) a bag of flour was enough for families for several weeks. However, inside Gaza, where more than half of the buildings have been destroyed, productivity has nearly ceased. Mills, storage facilities for flour, and industrial bakeries are unable to operate due to the extensive damage caused by the bombings.
This project is part of ActionAid’s efforts to support Palestinian communities by strengthening their resilience and improving living conditions, while empowering young men and women in leadership and active participation in building a more sustainable and just future.
About ActionAid International
ActionAid International is a global federation working with over 41 million people across more than 72 of the world’s poorest countries. We strive for a world of justice and sustainability, where every individual has the right to live with dignity and freedom, in a world free from poverty and oppression. We work towards social justice, gender equality, and the eradication of poverty.
ActionAid Palestine began its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people, believing in their right to enjoy freedom, justice, and self-determination. ActionAid Palestine implements several programs through its engagement with Palestinian communities, youth groups, and women. The organization seeks to empower women and youth and enhance their active civil and political participation to understand their rights and take collective action to address human rights violations resulting from prolonged occupation. Additionally, it aims to improve their leadership capacity and practice citizenship in holding authorities and other responsible parties accountable.
For more information, please contact:
Riham Jafari
Communication and Advocacy Officer, ActionAid Palestine
Email: Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org