People in Gaza are once again rushing to markets to buy whatever food they can afford, as the regional war involving the United States, Israel and Iran sends shockwaves through an enclave already dependent on fragile aid and commercial lifelines.

Residents and traders say prices have jumped in a matter of days, while some staples have become scarce or disappeared altogether.

Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said that “the latest escalation is being felt in the most immediate way possible: through shrinking supplies and tightening access at border crossings”.

In local markets, shoppers are trying to secure food before stocks run lower, fearing that whatever is available today may not be there tomorrow.

That anxiety reflects Gaza’s dependence on crossings with Israel and Egypt. Nearly all food, fuel, medicine and other basic goods enter the territory by truck. When those crossings are shut or operate at reduced capacity, the impact is quickly felt in markets, hospitals and water systems.

Israel closed Gaza’s crossings on February 28, as Israeli and US forces attacked Iran, halting humanitarian access in and out of Gaza and the movement of patients in need of medical evacuation. Israeli authorities later reopened the Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom to the Israelis) crossing for the “gradual entry” of aid, but access has remained restricted.

The Rafah crossing with Egypt has stayed shut, and aid agencies say the current volumes are far below what is needed.

Hanan Balkhy, World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, told Reuters this week that only about 200 trucks a day were entering Gaza, compared with roughly 600 needed daily to support the territory’s population. She also said about 18,000 people, including wounded children and patients with chronic illnesses, were still waiting to be evacuated.

Prices spike in local markets

On the ground, Mahmoud said the impact is clear in the cost of fresh produce. A kilogram of tomatoes that sold for about $1.50 a month ago is now close to $4. Cucumbers and potatoes have also become significantly more expensive, putting fresh food out of reach for many families whose incomes have already been shattered by months of war and displacement.

“People can no longer afford to buy vegetables and fruits due to high prices caused by the war between Israel and Iran,” one shopper told Al Jazeera.

Aljazeera