Every day in Gaza, Palestinians risk their lives in a desperate quest for food. The journey to reach aid distribution points is fraught with danger from multiple fronts. Israeli troops reportedly fire on crowds attempting to cross military zones, while criminals lie in wait to rob those who succeed.
As lawlessness grows and hunger deepens, families are driven into fierce and often violent competition to obtain even the barest supplies. Only a fortunate few return with meager rations—perhaps a jar of Nutella or a small bag of flour—while many go home empty-handed, forced to try again the next day.
For those like Jamil Atili, the experience is dehumanizing and brutal. On one such trip, he suffered a knife wound to his face and was pepper-sprayed by a guard from the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), only to return with nothing for his 13 family members.
“This isn’t aid. It’s humiliation. It’s death,” he said. Although Israel recently resumed food deliveries after a ten-week blockade, humanitarian organizations say the amount is insufficient to prevent widespread starvation. Most aid is funneled through GHF, operating from Israeli military zones, while only a small share reaches U.N. agencies.
Gunfire, Chaos, And Conflicting Claims Undermine Aid Efforts In Gaza’s War Zone
Both Israeli and U.N.-led distribution systems are engulfed in disorder. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli troops have killed and wounded hundreds in recent weeks by firing on crowds headed to GHF centers. Witnesses also report troops shooting into crowds near U.N. convoys, with over 50 people killed in a single day.
Israel claims it only uses warning shots and is exploring measures to improve crowd control. GHF denies any shootings near its sites and attributes the violence to premature crowd movements. Meanwhile, Israel insists that GHF is a safer alternative to the U.N., which it accuses of losing aid to Hamas—a charge the U.N. refutes.
Starvation and Gunfire Turn Gaza Aid Runs Into Deadly Daily Struggles for SurvivalFor Palestinians attempting the journey to food centers, the danger begins long before they reach their destination. In the military zone near Rafah, tanks and drones fire warning shots while crowds scramble to avoid being hit. Mohammed Saqer, a father of three, described the experience as akin to the deadly TV show “Squid Game.”
On one trip, he found a wounded man and helped carry him to safety, all while dodging sniper fire and chaos. Such moments of humanity are rare amid the carnage, as survival instincts overpower compassion.
Chaos, Bloodshed, And Theft Plague Desperate Food Runs In War-Ravaged Gaza Streets
Once the centers open, chaos erupts. Desperate people sprint toward food supplies, ignoring the injured and dying along the way. Omar al-Hobi described this harrowing scene, recounting how he witnessed people being shot and trampled.
On one occasion, he was so horrified by the bloodshed that he froze—until he remembered his starving children. Taking cover in a nearby greenhouse, he waited for the right moment, then sprinted for food when the gates opened.
Even after collecting supplies, the danger doesn’t end. Thieves often lie in wait near the centers to ambush those carrying food. Saqer, aware of the risk, climbed over berms to escape, knowing that Israeli troops might fire if he deviated from the set route.
Others, like Heba Jouda, witnessed disturbing scenes—young boys and elderly men attacked for their food. In one case, thieves slashed a man’s arm with a knife to steal a sack of aid he was clutching for his hungry children.
Back in their makeshift shelters, the food scavenged at such high risk is rationed carefully. Al-Hobi’s wife, Anwaar, said she hopes he won’t need to return, fearing for his life. The trauma of these daily trips is deepening. Al-Hobi, like many others, is haunted by the brutality and the desperation that now governs every interaction.
“No one will show you mercy these days,” he said. “Everybody fends for themselves.” In Gaza, where starvation and violence intersect, survival has become a cruel contest without rules or respite.