Severe Famine in Gaza: Onion Slices Being Sold at the Price of Gold

Gaza is facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, where a severe food shortage has pushed essentials beyond the reach of the common person. Due to the ongoing blockade for over two months, essential food supplies have dried up, causing prices to skyrocket to record-breaking levels.

In a shocking development, onions in Gaza are now being sold not by weight but in small pieces. According to sources, one piece of onion is being sold for as high as PKR 1,000 to 1,500, while a whole onion can cost up to PKR 3,000.

The scarcity of cooking essentials has led to extraordinary inflation. A litre of cooking oil is reportedly selling for PKR 7,500 — largely due to its use as a makeshift fuel substitute as traditional fuel sources have completely run out.

Flour has also become an unreachable commodity. A 25 kg bag is being sold for PKR 133,000, putting the per kilogram price at around PKR 5,300. Other vegetables are also far beyond affordable rates, with potatoes at PKR 2,800/kg, tomatoes at PKR 2,200/kg, and cucumbers at PKR 1,500/kg.

According to Al Jazeera, famine and extreme malnutrition have already claimed at least 29 lives. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the current situation as the “cruellest phase” of the ongoing Gaza war, calling for urgent international intervention to prevent further tragedy.