Asger Risom
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed while trying to reach aid amid Gaza’s deepening hunger crisis, with civilians facing danger just to survive.
With each passing day, Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe deepens. As food becomes scarcer and living conditions deteriorate, many residents have no choice but to risk their lives in search of aid.
Dangerous routes to food
Hind Al-Nawajha, a 38-year-old mother of four, is among thousands making daily journeys through rubble and gunfire just to find food.
“You either come back carrying for your children and they will be happy, or you come back in a shroud,” she told Reuters.
On Wednesday, she returned empty-handed, exhausted, and bruised after walking several kilometers to a distribution point.
Her story echoes that of many in Gaza, where Israeli forces are accused of opening fire on crowds approaching aid trucks.
On Thursday alone, Gaza medics reported at least 51 deaths, including 12 people shot near a site operated by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The Israeli army said warning shots were fired at “suspects” near the Netzarim corridor but claimed to be unaware of casualties.
A system under fire
While Israel channels most aid through GHF, the UN has denounced the system as unsafe and politically biased.
Gaza’s health ministry claims hundreds have died attempting to access these sites since late May. GHF disputes local casualty figures, saying its sites have distributed millions of meals without incident.
The ongoing conflict has displaced nearly the entire population and left over a million people without shelter, the Norwegian Refugee Council warned.
Aid groups say essential materials like tents remain blocked at the border.
As the war drags on, ordinary Gazans face a grim choice: risk everything for food, or go hungry.