Like thousands of other Gazans, Hind al-Nawaja and her sister Mazouza risk their lives to collect food. To receive food, they have to walk several kilometers to a designated aid distribution center. But even after such hardship, there is no guarantee of receiving food—nor is there any assurance of returning home alive.Nawaja, a 38-year-old resident of northern Gaza, told a Reuters correspondent:”Either you bring food back and make your children happy, or you return empty-handed and watch your children cry. Or you’re brought back wrapped in cloth (dead).”Describing daily life in Gaza, Nawaja said:”This is our life. We are being killed one by one. We can no longer bear this suffering.”Currently, Gaza is experiencing not only casualties but also a severe food crisis. After two months of Israeli blockade, most of the aid entering the territory is distributed under the supervision of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is supported by the United States and Israel. Food is supplied in a few locations under heavy Israeli military guard.According to Gaza health workers, since the end of May, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed while trying to collect food from GHF’s aid centers. They claim that in just the last two days (18 and 19 June), dozens of Palestinians were killed while attempting to collect food brought by the United Nations and international relief organizations.Just yesterday alone, at least 51 Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire, among whom at least 12 were reportedly shot while trying to collect food from a GHF-designated distribution center.However, the Israeli military defended its actions, saying a group of suspicious individuals was approaching them in the Netzarim area of Gaza. Finding their movements threatening, Israeli forces fired warning shots to deter them. They claimed no knowledge of any casualties in that incident.Meanwhile, when Reuters tried to contact GHF for a statement regarding the deaths during food collection, the organization responded via email, accusing Gaza health workers of spreading misinformation and misleading the public regularly. However, GHF did not answer Reuters’ question about whether they were aware of any casualties.Additionally, at least 50 people were killed in separate Israeli attacks in the Jabalia and Shati areas, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli military has not issued any statements regarding these attacks.The story began with Nawaja. That day, she had to return empty-handed. After walking several kilometers and standing in line for hours, she was exhausted and collapsed on the ground outside her tent in a refugee camp. She and her sister have been staying on the street like this for the past 20 days.They said that even when they reach the aid center on time, sometimes they cannot collect food due to the pushing and shoving. Physical scuffles often break out over food.The United Nations has repeatedly stated that food supplies in Gaza are far below what is needed. That day, failing to collect food, Nawaja and her family had to spend yet another day hungry.She said:”Walking for kilometers only results in worn-out shoes and aching feet. And when we come back without food, you can see for yourself how the children cry from hunger.”
