Starvation Crisis in Northern Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
The humanitarian situation in northern Gaza has reached alarming levels as the Israeli occupation forces continue to block food aid from entering the region for over three weeks. Local residents like Jalal Arafat express deep fears of starvation and displacement, describing the ongoing military actions as a "war of extermination" that disregards human dignity. Arafat, who lost his home in the Zeitoun neighborhood, highlights the dire scarcity of essential food items such as meat, fruits, and eggs, which have not been available for weeks.
The blockade has severely impacted the local economy, draining financial resources and causing prices of alternative goods to skyrocket. Arafat emphasizes that the Israeli policy appears aimed at forcibly displacing the local population, leaving them with no safe haven as bombings continue in areas they thought were secure.
Collective Suffering and Malnutrition
Residents report that basic food supplies have become nearly non-existent, with some families resorting to eating only herbs like thyme. Ramzi Shabir, a father of five, shares his struggles to provide for his newborn, as milk has run out at distribution points, and prices in the market are rising uncontrollably. Shabir's family, like many others, is suffering from malnutrition, exacerbated by the lack of food and medical supplies.
A source from an aid agency confirms that no aid has reached northern Gaza for 16 days, raising fears of impending famine. The limited aid that has entered Gaza City is insufficient to meet the residents' minimum needs, creating a dire situation for those in the north.
Systematic Policy of Deprivation
Economic analyst Ahmed Abu Qamar points out that while some aid is entering Gaza, it is primarily directed towards Gaza City, leaving the northern areas in a state of neglect. Before the current conflict, an average of 350 aid trucks entered Gaza daily, but this number has drastically reduced to about 30 trucks, focusing mainly on flour and lacking essential goods. Abu Qamar describes this as a systematic policy of deprivation, aimed at increasing the suffering of the residents while furthering the military objectives of the occupation forces.
