Hunger and Desperation: Gazans Risk Lives for Food Amid Ongoing Conflict

In a landscape devastated by war, desperate Gazans venture into dangerous territory for a chance to feed their families, even at the risk of death.

Mohammed al-Qedra, a 33-year-old resident of Gaza, is not alone in his harrowing decision to seek food amid the escalating violence and shortages. Shot in both the hand and leg while attempting to secure food at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid distribution center, he shared his experience in a recent interview with BBC's Emir Nader. "Hunger and the lack of everything makes us go there," Mohammed revealed, acknowledging the peril but feeling compelled to provide for his family.

In the past two months, over 1,000 Palestinians have reportedly lost their lives trying to access food, according to the UN human rights office. Many have been killed near GHF sites, which are often located in Israeli military zones and operated by US private security contractors. The GHF disputes the UN's figures, arguing they stem from a Hamas-aligned health ministry, while Israel insists that the chaos is instigated by Hamas and that its troops are only firing warning shots.

British paramedic Sam Sears noted the surge in patients at the UK-Med hospital, where about 2,000 individuals seek emergency care each month, often for gunshot wounds and other injuries sustained while trying to secure aid. "We have patients who have sustained gunshot wounds, shrapnel wounds, have leg amputations...," he said while highlighting the overwhelming number of cases they are dealing with.

Dr. Aseel Horabi, a Palestinian medic, expressed her anguish over the dire situation in Gaza. She shared that her husband was shot while collecting aid. Despite the risk, she emphasized the urgency, stating, "If we are to die from hunger, let it be." Many healthcare workers, like Dr. Horabi, find themselves in desperate need of food as well, struggling to support their patients while battling their own hunger.

Global experts warn that the blockade enforced by Israel has precipitated a crisis of mass starvation in Gaza, with UN agencies reporting famine-like conditions for a quarter of the 2.1 million population. Although Israel asserts that it is not responsible for the famine, attributing the hardship to Hamas, the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate.

As international humanitarian organizations criticize the blockade, the World Health Organization's Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned it as "man-made." His stark observations reflect the grim reality: "More than 1,000 people have died while trying to feed themselves. If they're not starving, imagine why they're risking their lives."

Even as aid enters Gaza, obstacles remain in ensuring a steady supply, with logistical bottlenecks complicating the delivery of essential supplies. With healthcare systems on the brink of collapse, the ongoing conflict leaves many Gazans in a desperate struggle for survival, navigating the volatility of war for the most basic necessity: food.