Amid violence and starvation, Palestinians in Gaza are decided to mark Ramadan

From his crowded makeshift tent, product of donated plastic sheeting, Fahed Abu El Khair advised CBS Information that this was not the life he ever dreamt for his household. 

As soon as comfortably center class, they now stay in a crowded encampment arrange within the southern Gaza metropolis of Rafah, simply toes away from the towering lights of the Egyptian border. 

“I’ve six individuals in my household,” Abu El Khair says. “My spouse and youngsters … and the way we live shouldn’t be a life.” 

Earlier than the October seventh Hamas assaults, the daddy of 4 was one of many few Palestinians from Gaza in a position to safe a uncommon allow to work inside Israel. However since Israel launched its retaliatory assault, Abu El Khair has needed to transfer his household 4 instances simply to outlive. 

“All we now have now’s just a few cups, a plate and a pot to cook dinner with,” he stated. “It is hardly sufficient for anybody to stay with, not to mention have the ability to feed our kids.” 

Within the days instantly following Hamas’ October seventh assaults, Israel successfully sealed the Gaza Strip by chopping off most meals, water and medication.

Almost six months later, worldwide help businesses say over 1 million individuals — half of Gaza’s inhabitants — are actually within the midst of a famine. In March, at the very least twenty-seven youngsters reportedly starved to loss of life within the north of the besieged Palestinian territory the place, based on United Nations figures, as many as 1 / 4 of all youngsters below 5 are affected by acute malnutrition.

Within the south, the place the Abu El Khair household are sheltering, the opposite half of Gaza’s inhabitants will doubtless expertise famine by the top of spring in what the U.N. calls “an inexpensive worst-case situation.”

Regardless of the immense hardships, the Abu El Khair household has not misplaced their religion. Ramadan and fasting is particular to them, and so earlier than they start their day of abstaining from food and drinks from dawn to sundown, they collect for a pre-dawn meal. All they should eat are just a few items of bread and a candy sesame paste — a meal sufficient for one particular person, however not a household. 

As he fasts, Abu El Khair cannot relaxation. He has to spend his day trying to find meals for his household in one of many few remaining markets in Gaza. However as he walks from stall to stall, he can barely afford something. Prices have skyrocketed throughout southern Gaza. Even a small bunch of inexperienced onions needed to be haggled over. 

Earlier than the conflict, an estimated 500 vehicles entered Gaza on a regular basis carrying meals and different items in addition to worldwide help. Almost six months into Israel’s ongoing assault, that quantity has dropped by 80 p.c, based on help teams. The Israeli army says its rejection of some shipments and its prolonged checks on help vehicles are to forestall Hamas from smuggling in weapons and provides.

The Abu El Khair household has needed to discover different methods to outlive. Fahima, Abu El Khair’s spouse, constructed a wood-fired oven inside their tent to attempt to earn more money by promoting bread, however that cash does not go far. 

“Even when I work all day, all I will afford is just a few tomatoes or an eggplant,” she stated. Even along with her daughter serving to, it is a battle. 

“We will solely bake bread over an open hearth,” Fahima stated. “However I really feel like our whole life is in flames.” 

Breaking their quick wasn’t a easy course of, both. Cooking a meal that’s historically served at sundown was made tough by having to organize it on the ground of a tent. Greater than an hour after the solar had gone down, the meal was lastly prepared. 

“We stay in a tent arrange on the sand. We eat meals that, as you possibly can see, we will barely cook dinner,” Abu El Khair stated. “We stay solely with God’s mercy.”