Daily struggle of a Gaza family in search of sustenance to survive

Daily struggle of a Gaza family in search of sustenance to survive

In the heart of the Gaza Strip, the Sobh family, consisting of Abeer, Fadi, and their six children, are battling extreme hunger and health risks amidst a devastated humanitarian situation. The family, who reside in a tent in a refugee camp, are amongst the many families facing starvation and acute malnutrition due to the ongoing food crisis in the region.

Abeer, a 29-year-old mother, often begs for food for the family's breakfast. To make ends meet, she and her eldest children, Youssef, Mohammed, and Malak, help collect fresh water from trucks. In times of scarcity, Abeer even fetches water from the sea. The family has become adept at recognising what might burn, as they scour Gaza's bombed-out streets for anything to fuel their makeshift stove.

Fadi, a 30-year-old street vendor, sometimes visits a nearby soup kitchen, but food is rarely available there. The family's six children often scour the streets for anything they can find to help feed their family. Some people who have succeeded in obtaining food give Abeer a small bag of flour or share some of their own food.

The crisis in Gaza stems from ongoing conflict, mass displacement, and the near-total collapse of essential services and infrastructure. Israel enforced a complete blockade on food and other supplies for 2 1/2 months beginning in March, exacerbating the situation. The blockade has led to a near collapse of healthcare services, and the reduction of commercial flows and local production, increasing the family's reliance on humanitarian aid.

Over 20,000 children have been treated for acute malnutrition, and malnutrition-related deaths have surged, particularly among children under five. For example, 24 children under five died in July 2025 due to malnutrition-related causes.

Experts from the UN and WHO have recommended potential solutions to alleviate the crisis, including the immediate cessation of hostilities to allow safe access for civilians and aid agencies, full humanitarian access for aid workers to deliver food, medical supplies, and essential services, protection of civilian infrastructure and safe zones, restoration of commercial goods flow and local food production capacities, and the scale-up of multi-sectoral humanitarian assistance.

Without urgent coordinated action, famine conditions will worsen and further devastate families like the Sobhs, who embody the growing population of Gaza experiencing starvation, acute malnutrition, and preventable deaths. UN agencies have stockpiles ready but require ceasefire and safe corridors to deliver aid effectively.

[1] UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). (2025). Gaza Crisis: Humanitarian Snapshot (July 2025). [Online]. Available: https://www.ochaopt.org/content/gaza-crisis-humanitarian-snapshot-july-2025

[2] World Health Organization (WHO). (2025). Gaza Crisis: Health Situation Report (July 2025). [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/emergencies/gaza-crisis/situation-report-05-2025

[3] United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (2025). Gaza Crisis: Nutrition Situation Report (July 2025). [Online]. Available: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/gaza_crisis/nutrition_situation_report_july_2025

[4] United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2025). Gaza Crisis: Humanitarian Needs Overview (July 2025). [Online]. Available: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/crisis-response/gaza-crisis.html

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