In Gaza, Getting Aid Has Become a Deadly Gamble. Every day, thousands of Palestinians risk their lives for a chance at a few scraps of food. Under crushing restrictions, outbreaks of violence, and a chaotic distribution system, Gaza’s hunger crisis is spiraling out of control.
A dangerous quest for survival
Abir Safi, displaced from Gaza’s Zeitoun neighborhood, remembers when getting UN food aid was simple. Now, she often returns empty-handed from the Zikim crossing — a perilous route between Gaza and Israel. “I take huge risks just to bring back a little food for my children,” she says. After losing her husband in the war, Abir is now solely responsible for feeding her family. Every day, thousands gather on Rashid Street in northern Gaza, desperately waiting for aid trucks. These scenes have become a grim daily ritual: families arriving hungry, exhausted, and anxious, hoping for a few kilos of flour, rice, or cooking oil. But supplies are scarce, and distribution is chaotic.
The danger isn’t just the hunger. Fayza al-Turmisi describes a terrifying reality: “They fire shells and bullets at us while we try to get aid.” People are forced to lie on the ground to avoid gunfire; anyone who dares lift their head risks being injured or killed. In the dense crowds, the risk of stampedes is high, putting children, women, and the elderly in danger. Seven-year-old Mohammed Mudeiris lost his father in an airstrike the day before. Now, he searches for food for his younger siblings. “I’m the oldest now. I have to take care of them,” he says. Another young man recounts being beaten in the head and face while trying to collect aid. Despite his injuries, he vows to return — because in Gaza, daily life is a battle against both hunger and death.
A broken aid system making things worse
Women are often on the front lines of this struggle. Asma Masoud, displaced from northern Gaza, says she “throws herself into danger” to feed her children. Her husband is paralyzed, leaving her as the family’s sole provider. She denounces the injustice of the current system, where some young men snatch sacks of aid to resell at exorbitant prices. “We can’t afford these prices. We need a fair system,” she says, calling for a return to pre-war distribution via text messages — a method that ensured each person in need got their share. Many vulnerable families — widows, the elderly, and the wounded — are left with nothing. Among them is Maqboula Adas, caring for her injured husband, who can no longer move, and her eldest son with a broken leg. “No one helps us except God. Every day, I try to get a little flour. Without it, they would have starved,” she says.
The food situation in Gaza is at breaking point. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), the territory is on the brink of famine. Food consumption and nutrition indicators have hit their lowest levels since the conflict began. The numbers are staggering: over 28,000 children suffer from severe acute malnutrition. At least 147 people — including 88 children — have already died of hunger. Israeli restrictions continue to limit the entry of food and fuel, while attacks near border crossings make deliveries even more dangerous. The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has documented hundreds of deaths among people trying to access aid in areas under fire.
Enaam Siam, a widow and mother of six, including one injured child, says: “Every day, I go out to bring food for my children. I see the dead and the wounded around me.” She too calls for a safe, fair system to ensure aid reaches those who truly need it.