A mother of nine, Mervat Hijazi, recounted her family’s struggle to survive in a war-torn Gaza City, where they have had to share a single meal a day due to Israeli restrictions. The family received limited food supplies from charities, but the scarcity is causing significant distress.
Hijazi’s 14-year-old daughter, Menna, had to plead with aid workers at a local kitchen to give her more food, while the baby Lama relied on peanut paste as the only nutrition. The family’s situation highlights the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where half a million people face starvation and famine.
Israel has allowed some food into the territory for the first time since March, including flour and baby food. However, aid agencies warn that this new system will lead to further displacement of the population and that more aid is needed.
Mervat Hijazi expressed her despair at not being able to feed her children, saying she “cries at night when my baby cries.” The family’s tent, once a place of refuge, has become a symbol of their struggle, with empty jars and plastic bowls bearing witness to the scarcity of food.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/diary-gazan-familys-descent-toward-starvation-2025-05-24