Deir el -Balah, Gaza Strip – Jehad al-Assar left his tent in Deir El-Balah of the Central Gaza early in the morning in a new exhausting trip to get food for his family.
Its destination Wednesday: a point of aid distribution to Rafah, in the far south of Gaza, led by Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) supported by the United States.
Jehad has traveled a “exhausting” 10 km (6.2 miles) to reach the site, mainly led by the weight of the responsibility of his pregnant wife and two hungry girls.
With the famine spreading to Gaza, a direct result of the blockade of Israel in the territory, the GHF site was the only hope of Jehad.
This despite the controversy surrounding the organization, whose head resigned on Sunday, affirming that the GHF could not adhere “to the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence”.
GHF’s lack of experience in the treatment of aid distribution was highlighted on Tuesday, when at least three Palestinians were killed in chaos that surrounded the help effort.
But in Gaza, people are hungry and desperate. Jehad is among them.
After walking for 90 minutes, the 31 -year -old reached the iron doors of the distribution center, alongside thousands of others, before opening suddenly.
“The crowds went up – thousands of people. There was no order at all,” Jehad told Tel Aviv Tribune. “People rushed to the courtyard where the help boxes were stacked and moved into the inner hall, where there were more supplies.”
“It was chaos – a real struggle. Men, women, children, all piled up together, pushing to grasp everything they could. No queues, no system – just hunger and troubles,” added Jehad.
Inside the corridor, people torn everything they could wear. “Anyone could raise two boxes took them. Sugar and cooking oil were the priorities. They caught what they wanted and rushed. ”
“There was no trace of humanity in what happened,” he said. “I was almost crushed by the crowd.”
At a short distance, the armed foreign forces were stretched to look without intervening. Jehad said he was approaching one of them and confronted him.
“I said to them:” You don’t help – you supervise a famine. You should leave. You are not necessary here. “”
Jehad managed to recover only a few articles: tuna cans, a small bag of sugar, pasta and a packet of cookies scattered on the ground. He transported them to a plastic bag hanging over his shoulder and made a long journey back home.
“I didn’t get a little. I was afraid of staying longer and being trampled on in the stampede-but I had to bring something back. My girls need to eat. I have no choice,” he said.
When he returned to the tent, his daughters praised him happily – even for the little one he had brought.
“My wife and I divide the food we put at home so children can eat for several days. We often ignore meals. Children cannot bear this … and I have a full responsibility to feed them, “he said.
Apocalyptic
Awad Abu Khalil was also among the desperate crowds on Wednesday. The 23 -year -old described the crowd rushing to get to food as “apocalyptic”.
“Everyone was running. It was chaos. The aid was stacked and everyone has just tackled him, grabbing what he could. ”
Awad said he heard gunshots in the distance, probably targeting young men trying to get around the designated routes.
He expressed deep frustration towards staff. “I expected the American staff to distribute tables to the tables, handing over to each person – not that madness.”
The images that emerged Tuesday and Wednesday added fuel to GHF international criticisms, with representatives of several countries denouncing Israel’s decision to prevent the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations from helping Gaza.
Israel stopped entry to Aid to Gaza in early March, while a cease-fire was still underway. He has since unilaterally broke the ceasefire and doubled in his war against Gaza, the official number of death more than 54,000 Palestinians.
“We used to receive help from international agencies and the UN,” said Jehad. “It was delivered by its name, in an organized manner – no chaos, no humiliation.”
At the end of Wednesday, the Gaza government media office said that at least 10 Palestinians desperately asked for aid had been killed by Israeli forces in the previous 48 hours.
Humiliation
Awad and Jehad were both able to go home with food.
Jehad said that his wife and mother had made pasta bread, soak it and then knead in dough. His wife used sugar to make a simple pudding for children. He will come back on Thursday, he said.
Even it’s better than most people in Gaza.
Walaa Abu Sa’da has three children. His youngest has only 10 months.
The 35-year-old man could not bear to look at people going back to the travel camp in Al-Mawasi to Khan Younis wearing food while her children hurt, so she decided to go to Rafah alone.
“I fought with my husband who refused to get out of the fear of the army (Israeli). I swore that I would go,” Walaa told Tel Aviv Tribune.
By containing her children to her sister, she joined the crowd while heading for the distribution site.
“My children were about to die of hunger. No milk, no food, not even baby’s preparation. They cried day and night, and I had to start neighbors for remains, ”she said. “So I went, no matter what my husband thought.”
But when Walaa arrived in Rafah, it was too late.
“People were fighting on the little. Some people wore torn plots,” she said.
Walaa has left the empty hand distribution site. On the way back, she saw a man drop a bag of flour from her torn pack.
“I picked it up and asked if I could have it,” she said. “He shouted:” I came from Beit Laahiya in the far north (from Gaza) to obtain it. I have nine children who are all hungry. I’m sorry, sister, I can’t give it ”and he’s gone.
“I understood, but his words broke me. I cried for what we have become. ”
Walaa described experience as deeply humiliating. She was filled with shame and inferiority.
“I covered my face with my scarf all the time. I didn’t want anyone who recognizes me to get a food package,” said Walaa, who is a baccalaureate in geography.
Despite her sorrow, Walaa says she will do him again if necessary.
“There is no dignity left when your children cry out of hunger. We will not forgive those who allowed us to reach this point. ”