Mervat Hijazi, a 38-year-old mother of nine, struggles daily to feed her children amid the ongoing war in Gaza. On a recent Thursday, her family went completely without food, except for her malnourished baby, who consumed a sachet of peanut paste. Living in a tent among the ruins of Gaza City, Hijazi speaks of the shame and despair she feels as she listens to her children cry from hunger, especially at night. Her daughter Zaha, only six, wakes up both from fear of the bombings and from hunger. Hijazi tries to soothe her with promises of food she knows she can’t deliver.
A Week of Hunger Reflects Gaza’s Worsening Crisis and Looming Threat of Famine
Hijazi’s account of the past week paints a grim picture of escalating deprivation. Meals, if they come at all, consist of small portions like lentils, potatoes, rice, and pasta, often insufficient for one meal, let alone an entire day. The family’s sustenance comes mainly from a community kitchen run by a charity, where Hijazi’s daughter Menna pleads for extra portions.
One day, the kitchen didn’t open at all, leaving the family completely without food, aside from emergency nutrition for baby Lama, whose weight is dangerously below healthy standards. With baby formula unavailable, Hijazi cannot breastfeed properly due to her own malnutrition.
Gaza Mother Fights to Feed Nine Children as Hunger and War Destroy Normal LifeThe Hijazi family’s suffering reflects a broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A global hunger monitor recently warned that half a million people are facing starvation, and famine is looming. Since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023 and Israel’s military response, over 53,000 Palestinians have died, according to Gaza officials.
Israel maintains that sufficient food is being sent into Gaza and accuses Hamas of diverting aid, a claim Hamas denies. Recently, Israel began allowing limited food aid in and announced a new distribution plan run by private contractors, a move criticized by the UN and aid agencies for potentially worsening displacement.
A Family Struggles for Normalcy and Peace Amid War and Relentless Displacement
Hijazi and her children live in a displaced persons camp in Gaza City after their home in the Sabra district was damaged and her husband was killed during an earlier phase of the conflict. They initially sought refuge in Deir al-Balah before returning after a ceasefire.
Life in the camp is marked by exhaustion and hopelessness. Her children carry the burdens of adulthood—Menna queues for food hours in advance, while her sons, Mustafa and Ali, haul water across long distances when no delivery is available. The physical effects of hunger leave them too weak to even keep their tent clean.
Despite the overwhelming hardship, the Hijazis yearn for a return to normal life. Hijazi recalls their pre-war existence when her husband’s work as a plumber supported a comfortable life filled with diverse meals and treats. Now, they share memories of those times and dream of simple joys like burgers, chocolate, and family dinners.
Her daughter Malik longs for the comfort of everyday pleasures, while Hijazi pleads for peace and stability. “We are civilians. We have no say in this war,” she says. Her wish is painfully modest: to return to a real home, eat without worry, and sleep without fear.