Palestinians suffer extreme hardship: “All we have is salt water from the sea”

class=”sc-29f61514-0 dXbCZE”>

There is an absolute state of emergency in the Gaza Strip. Numerous emergency aid organizations are warning of a humanitarian catastrophe. For example, UN chief António Guterres said on Monday that the Gaza Strip was turning “into a cemetery for children.”

According to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Health Authority, 10,000 people have already been killed, including 4,000 children. Another 25,000 people are said to have been injured. But there is a lack of medical facilities at the front and back of the hospitals.

However, it is not only the continued bombing of Israel that threatens the Palestinian population. Food is also becoming increasingly scarce as Israel has severely limited the supply of relief supplies. According to the UN World Food Program (WFP), Gaza’s only flour mill is out of action due to a lack of electricity and fuel. In addition, eleven bakeries have reportedly been destroyed by Israeli attacks since October 7.

According to Al Jazeera, the bakeries that are still open can only meet the needs of the population to a limited extent, depending on the availability of flour and fuel. Social media videos confirm this. They show Palestinians queuing in front of bakeries for up to three hours to get bread.

“There is no clean water”

The UN warned on Sunday: “Access to essential foodstuffs is becoming increasingly difficult in Gaza. The WFP estimates that food supplies in stores will only last a few days.”

In addition to food, water is also becoming increasingly scarce. United Nations Deputy Middle East Coordinator Lynn Hastings told the AP: “Many people rely on brackish or saline groundwater, if at all.” Only one in three water pipes is currently in operation.

Palestinians from the Gaza Strip are speaking out on social media about the extreme water shortage. A journalist from northern Gaza says there has been no water for days: “There is no clean water to drink. All we have is the salt water from the sea.”

Hamas is said to be hoarding food in the tunnel system

She continues that the aid supplies from Rafah only reach the south of the Gaza Strip. In the north, people are desperately waiting for relief supplies: “These 100 trucks are not enough and they are not coming north. Our existence has no value whatsoever. We are dying of hunger.”

Citing unnamed Western and Arab officials, the New York Times reported that Hamas was hoarding food and fuel supplies for itself. They have to store these in their underground tunnel system. Israel also states this.

Source: Blick