United Nations, Nov 21 : The lack of flour and fuel in Gaza threatens to shut down bakeries serving hundreds of thousands of hungry Palestinians, UN humanitarians said. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said its warning comes as parts of Gaza are at imminent risk of famine, Xinhua news agency reported. The World Food Programme said only seven of the 19 bakeries supported by humanitarian partners in Gaza are still operating: two in Deir al Balah, one in Khan Younis, and four in Gaza City.Seven UN-supported bakeries in Rafah and North Gaza governorate remain closed due to hostilities. "The three bakeries in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis that are still running are being supported by our partners," OCHA said. "They are still working at full capacity at the moment to meet the extremely high demand but have only enough flour to stay operational through the end of the week."

The office added that several other bakeries in the same areas were forced to cease operations earlier this week due to a lack of flour. "The four bakeries we mentioned in Gaza City have been forced to reduce their capacity by 50 per cent since Tuesday due to dwindling fuel supplies," OCHA said. "These shortages stem from delays in fuel deliveries due to the ongoing safety and security challenges related to accessing supplies entering Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing." The humanitarians also said partners report that there is a stark increase in the number of households experiencing severe hunger in central and southern parts of the Gaza Strip.

OCHA warned the breakdown in public order and safety in Gaza is leading to increasingly organised armed looting. This is also endangering aid workers, making it almost impossible for humanitarian organisations to do their jobs," the office said. OCHA said that as of Monday, the Israeli authorities facilitated just over 40 per cent of the nearly 320 planned humanitarian movements across the Gaza Strip this month. The rest were denied, impeded, or canceled due to security and logistical challenges.

The office also said that nearly two months into the wide-scale escalation of the conflict in Lebanon, 3,000 people are estimated to have been killed, and more than 770,000 people have been displaced from their homes. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports that more than 200 children were killed, representing, on average, three children dying each day. "The health sector is also heavily impacted, with 190 health workers killed in less than two months," OCHA said. "Some 50 primary health-care centres and eight hospitals have also been forced to close, leaving countless people without access to essential services when they need them the most."

OCHA reminded that under international humanitarian law, medical personnel and facilities must be respected and protected. The office said the world body and its partners continue to deliver critical assistance to Lebanese in need. Since September 23, 65 humanitarian convoys have transported vital aid to people in conflict-affected regions of Lebanon. "In addition to food, tents, solar lamps, mattresses and medical supplies, humanitarian partners have provided more than 1.6 million litres of bottled water and over 42 million litres of water through trucking," OCHA said. "We have also delivered around 600,000 litres of fuel to support water pumping operations at key establishments."

UNICEF has reported significant efforts to support the reopening of public schools, providing individual learning materials to more than 135,000 children.

/IANS