Gazan mothers stand in long lines in hopes of finding food to feed their families, children amid Israeli attacks

By Ramzi Mahmud, Hacer Cakir

GAZA (AA) - The humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip has left residents hungry and thirsty as mothers wait in long food lines to feed their families and children.

Necla Ebu Amese, 41, from the Jabalia Refugee Camp in northern Gaza, is one of hundreds waiting to buy soup with a plastic container in her hand to feed her injured husband and five children.

Weak from hunger, Amese, who waited in line Wednesday but could not find food, anxiously hopes to purchase food for her children, who have endured hunger for days.

Amese shared their plight with Anadolu and expressed concern that her family would not be able to secure meals in the coming days.

She lamented the tragic situation of Palestinian women in northern Gaza and wished to be in the position of mothers elsewhere in the world who can provide their children with meals.

She noted that her children are at home waiting for food and the uncertainty of whether they will receive soup adds to their distress.

“We are suffering from hunger in northern Gaza. This suffering and war cannot persist,” she said.

The mother also noted the spread of diseases and contaminated water that residents consume.

Israel's actions, including targeting hospitals, schools and shelters where displaced Palestinians have sought refuge, have blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

It has led to a humanitarian catastrophe in the densely populated enclave, home to 2.3 million residents.

International circles, particularly UN-affiliated organizations, are demanding a cease-fire in a boost in humanitarian aid to the region. They point to the closure of several hospitals, shortages of medical supplies and the onset of diseases caused by hunger, thirst and inadequate hygiene materials.

Despite the International Court of Justice imposing provisional measures on Israel on Jan. 26, which included ensuring access to humanitarian aid in Gaza, reports indicate that the aid entering Gaza in February has decreased by half compared to January.

Since Oct. 7, in the attacks Israel has launched on Gaza, at least 30,035 Palestinians have died, including 12,660 children and 8,570 women, with 70,457 others sustaining injuries.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi in Istanbul