In Gaza, babies are going without formula milk. Water shortages have reached critical levels. According to the United Nations, thousands of children have become malnourished, with most people barely eating one meal a day.
Mahmoud Shalabi lives in northern Gaza with his wife and three children.
“Food and water are really scarce and are depleting every day,” he told HuffPost UK.
“If there is no solution soon, we will start to see famine and starvation re-emerge again.
“I wouldn’t like to live this trauma again – of me, my family and my children almost starved to death.”
In his local area, the main shops are empty of supplies. Small businesses, like restaurants, have closed because they don’t have enough food to cook.
A bag of flour now costs 250 Israeli shekels, said Shalabi. That’s around £50.
Israel has blocked humanitarian aid and essential supplies from reaching the strip for more than seven weeks now.
Why is Israel blocking aid?
The blockade is being used as a way to force Hamas to release the remaining 59 hostages from the attacks on 7 October 2023.
According to the Guardian, Israel’s defence minister recently said: “Israel’s policy is clear: no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza, and blocking this aid is one of the main pressure levers preventing Hamas from using it as a tool with the population.
“No one is currently planning to allow any humanitarian aid into Gaza, and there are no preparations to enable such aid.”
Shalabi, who is Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)’s deputy director of programmes, said the blockade is impacting healthcare facilities “massively”.
“Many patients are being deprived their basic needs and rights, including medicines and drugs. Many people I know close to me have been unable to get their hypertension drugs,” he said.
“Al Ahli Hospital was one of the main trauma hospitals in northern Gaza but now that has been forced to shut down following Israeli military airstrikes.”
He continued: “The situation is the worst it has been in the last 18 months in terms of being deprived your basic necessities and the resumption of Israeli military attacks on Palestinians. North, south, east, west – it’s all under fire.
“So many areas of Gaza are inaccessible. It’s depressing to be living in Gaza right now.”
Since the war began in 2023, over 50,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed. Unicef said 15,000 of these were children.
Despite all of this, Shalabi remains hopeful: “Still, we have faith, and we hope the future will hold good things for us if we just wait patiently.”
According to Reuters, Hamas has said it’s ready to engage in negotiations to release the remaining Israeli hostages in return for an end to the war, the release of Palestinians jailed by Israel, and the reconstruction of Gaza.
What you can do to help
With aid being blocked, it might feel like there’s very little you can do to help.
But a spokesperson for MAP said “Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank need people’s action now more than ever”.
Here are some ways to take action, according to the charity:
- Email your MP calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, as well as a suspension of all arms sales to Israel.
- Donate to MAP. Despite Israel’s total blockade on aid, MAP remains in Gaza, delivering urgent medical care. A spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “We are rehabilitating hospitals, providing essential health services at medical points, distributing clean water, and supporting trauma and emergency response. We continue to provide vital mental health support and protection services to Palestinians, and continue to deploy Emergency Medical Teams, who have collectively conducted thousands of consultations and performed lifesaving surgeries.”
- Organise or take part in a community, challenge, workplace or fundraising event. People can register for MAP’s Stride for Palestinians event here.
- Stay informed by joining the charity’s mailing list.
- Support Palestinian-owned businesses and initiatives.
- Share Palestinian stories and voices on your social media channels, and speak out in favour of Palestinians’ rights to health and dignity.
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