Inside the Struggle to Find Food in Gaza

This soup kitchen was a lifeline for hundreds of Palestinians in northern Gaza. 18-year-old Salem Madhat Alaydi used to go there daily to feed his family of seven. But it closed on May 24 after Israel blocked vital resources from entering the enclave to pressure Hamas during cease-fire talks. In May, Israel established new aid centers in Gaza. It accused Hamas of diverting aid from an old distribution system managed by the United Nations. The United Nations has denied the accusations and boycotted the new system. It claims that Israel is using aid as part of its military strategy. Since opening, the centers, which are run by private U.S. contractors, have been plagued by chaos. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed while trying to get aid, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The Israeli military has said that it fired at people who deviated from designated routes and didn’t listen to verbal warnings. Alaydi’s family now pays for food by using money sent from a relative who lives abroad. Near Gaza City, Aya Ehab Zaid has been running her own soup kitchen. Zaid has been documenting her life during the war on social media. She said she receives donations online to feed her family and others. Despite being displaced more than 15 times, Zaid said that she is determined to continue serving food to the community.