Palestinians resort to grinding animal feed to survive Israeli blockade of Gaza

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip are grinding animal feed to make bread due to the prolonged scarcity of wheat flour amid Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid.

Awatif al-Besyuni, who has been affected by Israel’s attacks, told the media that residents have been forced to grind broken wheat and corn, which are used as animal feed, to make meals.

Besyuni emphasized the harsh living conditions, noting that they are not only enduring the effects of the war but also struggling with hunger and freezing temperatures.

She said children cannot have their simplest desires fulfilled due to the prolonged assaults.

Besyuni urged Arab and other Muslim countries to pressure Israel to halt the war and alleviate the suffering in Gaza.

Hasan Seref, a Tel al-Zaatar resident, said food supplies have completely run out, leaving residents fasting for up to 48 hours, he said.

Um Asad al-Ketri, who makes bread in a destroyed house in the Jabalia Refugee Camp following an Israeli bombardment, highlighted the extreme conditions residents endure just to survive.

Making bread from bird feed, al-Ketri said it was hard and unsuitable to feed children.

The Gaza Strip, home to approximately 2.3 million residents, has been under continuous attacks and blockade by the Israeli military since October 7. Israel’s denial of humanitarian aid access has caused unspeakable suffering for those who have survived the indiscriminate airstrikes.

The ongoing Israeli bombardment and the full blockade have resulted in the depletion of essential food supplies in the north where hundreds of thousands of people are now grappling with the challenges of hunger.

In the northern region, the population faces the threat of death due to malnutrition-related diseases, with approximately 600,000 Palestinians at risk, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced in November that everyone in Gaza has been exposed to food insecurity due to Israel’s blockade since October 7.

Humanitarian aid entering Gaza, as reported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), is insufficient, covering only 7% of the population’s needs.