FIAI Chairman Dodi Manevich and the president of the Manufacturers' Association of Israel (MAI), Ron Tomer, appealed to David Bitan, chairman of the economy committee in the Israeli parliament, asking for an emergency meeting to discuss food security and emergency food stockpile, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Manevich and Tomer warned that the Israeli government needs to prepare a strategy to ensure that at least 75% of all food products are sourced locally to prevent a food crisis. At the moment, about 90% of the Israeli food production facilities are located in the conflict zones in the north and south of the country, FIAI estimated.
The facilities continue to operate even though they are exposed to rocket attacks from Gaza or Lebanon and many of their employees have been evacuated to safer areas, the report said.
The two officials also pointed out the threat to supply chains posed by attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement on Israeli merchant vessels in the Red Sea.
On October 7, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip, while its fighters breached the border, opening fire on the military and civilians. As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted.
Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 20,600 people have been killed and more than 54,500 injured so far in Gaza as a result of Israeli strikes, local authorities said.