Ibtisam Ghalia and her four children are struggling to survive in Gaza, where food and supplies are scarce due to Israel’s total blockade. Their meager supplies of beans, lentils, salt, herbs, spices, and flour are running out. Prices have skyrocketed, making basic food items unaffordable. The family has not eaten meat or dairy for months and relies on one or two meals a day to stretch their food. Ghalia’s son heads out to find firewood, their only source of fuel. The situation is dire, with Ghalia’s sister injured by a stray bullet and her children experiencing nightmares and fear. The humanitarian system in Gaza is collapsing, with thousands of cases of malnutrition reported. The blockade is justified by Israeli officials due to alleged aid theft by Hamas, leading to renewed hostilities and a devastating toll on civilians. The war in Gaza has resulted in hundreds of deaths and injuries, with no end in sight. Dalam total, 52.400 warga Palestina, kebanyakan warga sipil, telah tewas dalam perang, termasuk lebih dari 2.300 sejak Israel memulai serangannya kembali pada pertengahan Maret setelah menarik janji untuk beralih ke tahap kedua gencatan senjata yang rapuh yang mulai berlaku pada Januari.
“Kami hanya ingin hidup dalam keamanan. Kami ingin ketakutan berakhir, perang berhenti, kehidupan kembali seperti dulu. Kami ingin rumah kami kembali,” kata Ghalia, lalu kembali menghitung persediaan yang semakin menipis. Pada hari Jumat, tepungnya akan habis, meninggalkan hanya kacang-kacangan dan bungkus kacang lentil.