In Gaza, as armed men surround aid trucks, residents point fingers at both Israel and Hamas for exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, with vital supplies scarce amid ongoing conflict
The dire shortage of food and essential humanitarian supplies in the Gaza Strip has captured global attention, yet some of the Palestinians living in the enclave are debating the root of the crisis. While most attribute the hardships faced by Gaza’s residents to Israel, others point towards Hamas.
Five months following Hamas’ invasion of Israel—which resulted in the deaths of 2,000 Israelis and 30,000 Palestinians and the abduction of more than 250 Israelis and foreign nationals—the dire scarcity of essentials for nearly 2 million Palestinians is altering the narratives.
In response to the intense international pressure, the US airdropped 38,000 meals and just approved building a floating pier to deliver two meals daily to the Palestinian people. However, Israel claims that Hamas has taken food staples and other packages at the Rafah crossing and is reselling them to their people.
The Media Line spoke with Gazans about the current situation. Some names are obscured to protect their identity.
“In the last few days, we have only had a few trucks carrying food items, but these trucks are not allowed to enter Gaza City at this time,” Amjad Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, told The Media Line. “This is a big catastrophe we are witnessing at this time. There are 2.3 million people, most of whom are children, women, elders, and injured people who need food and have lost their income and resources.”
“There is no work, there is nothing. We are just looking for food, water, and medicine, and we have this limited quantity with such restrictions, which leads to a higher death toll among the children.”
When asked to name the organizations that bring aid into the Gaza Strip, Shawa replied: “UNRWA and, at the same time, the World Food Program. We have other NGOs and Palestinian and international organizations working on the ground.”
“Israel needs to end all restrictions regarding the entering of mainly food items, such as medicine, assistance devices for people and other equipment to keep people alive.”
Shawa noted in regards to Hamas controlling aid that enters Gaza: “All we have witnessed were hundreds of starving Palestinians who were waiting for these trucks, which were carrying humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip and were attacked by Israelis.”
“These starving people were trying to get small pieces of humanitarian aid to go back to their children and feed them.”
Gazans barely get glimpses of the aid that enters
A, a resident of Gaza, said they see aid enter Gaza, but they “don’t know where it is headed.”
“It goes to the gangs. Hamas controls 70% of it, and the rest goes to merchants who sell it in the market. We do not receive aid except for a few things on rare occasions. The rest is for Hamas, and the merchants belong to Hamas. The prices are very high, and we cannot buy it.”
The Media Line’s attention was directed to armed men identified by locals as Hamas operatives. After surrounding the aid trucks, the so-called gangs fired rounds in the air as a warning sign to the hungry Gazan citizens to keep away.
“The people of Hamas are in control,” A continued. “And if not, there are people and gangs affiliated with them. Their people are rioting in full support of Hamas. There is no income. We see the goods in the market and cannot buy them because there is no money.”
“It is Hamas that takes the aid and distributes it to the dealers we know. Hamas is the proof and leaves us hungry. Hamas did this thing and failed us. Come and see how we live; I didn’t know who to talk to.”
“I can’t buy diapers for my son,” A stressed. “I used to buy them for 10 shekels, and now they cost 180.”
B, another Gaza resident, agreed. “First of all, basic needs are lacking. There is no food, drinks, flour, or soy, and not enough aid from abroad, from Arab and Muslim countries. Look at us. We move from place to place, and at the end of the day, every day, we eat the husks of the corn.”
“We are frankly dying of poverty, pain, and sometimes lack of water. Without drinking it, you die.”
“Hopefully, God may sustain us. We have no other place in the world, not in the Arab countries, not in the Muslim countries, not in other countries, not in the United Nations, not anywhere in the world. The main consideration is that Jerusalem is not only for Palestinians but for all Arabs and Muslims.”
The Media Line interviewed one Gazan woman—C—who says her husband was killed in Shifa hospital by a missile. “I stayed for a month there, and then we arrived at a refugee camp. We were hit two times by missiles and airplanes, and the war didn’t spare anyone.”
“I swear to God, the aid is a fraud. They are thieves—corrupted. They did not do their job or care about us, I swear.”
C continued: “I want to tell the international community to stop the aid because the governments are taking advantage of this. In the refugee camp, they bring us water, but this water is not good for cooking or making meals. I wish to go home rather than stay in the refugee camp.”
“I will never leave my country,” C stated when asked about forced displacement. “And even the young people should not leave our land. But there aren’t good options for living here.”