GAZA – As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens, thousands of Palestinians are risking their lives daily in search of food. Among them is 38-year-old Hind Al-Nawajha from Beit Lahiya, who walks miles each day with her sister, often dodging bullets, only to return empty-handed to her family.
In one such journey, the sisters were forced to hide behind rubble as gunfire echoed nearby. “Either you return with food and your children are happy, or you come back dead, or with nothing at all,” said Nawajha. The struggle for food has become a dangerous routine for many Gazans.
According to Gaza medics, Israeli strikes and gunfire have killed dozens of people in recent days. On Thursday alone, at least 51 people died, including 12 trying to approach a humanitarian aid site. Another airstrike on a tent in Shati refugee camp killed at least 19 people, including women and children, while 14 others died in Jabalia.
The Israeli military claimed that its forces fired warning shots after “suspects” approached areas where troops were stationed. However, it denied knowledge of casualties and said it is reviewing the situation. Meanwhile, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), backed by the US and Israel, denied responsibility, stating Palestinians do not access their sites through the reported corridor.
The UN has criticized the GHF system, calling it unsafe and against humanitarian principles. Since late May, Gaza’s health ministry claims hundreds have died trying to reach these aid points. Israel insists the system prevents Hamas from seizing supplies, which Hamas strongly denies.
Nawajha and her sister have been living by the roadside in Gaza City for 20 days, waiting for aid. Often, they are pushed aside by stronger men fighting for limited supplies. “Our shoes are torn, our feet bruised,” she said. “And when there’s no food, our children just cry.” The hunger, displacement, and trauma continue to deepen across Gaza, with no clear end in sight.