Gaza family relies on dwindling community kitchens amid severe food shortages

Mervat Radwan, 45, now looks after her three nephews, her 70-year-old father and her 40-year-old sister after an October 2024 air attack killed her brother, sister-in-law and their infant son. The family relies on a community kitchen in their displacement camp, which recently resumed service but only for two days each week following a two-month closure. United Nations data show that daily meals provided by Gaza’s kitchens dropped from about 1.5 million in mid-March to roughly 698,000 by July as funding shortages and higher operating costs forced many kitchens to shut down.

Fresh produce is hard to find and costly, with cucumbers costing around 15 shekels per kilogram, limiting the children’s intake of water-rich foods recommended by doctors. The household’s diet consists mainly of canned items and occasional aid parcels, contributing to health issues like kidney stones in the youngest child. Adults often skip meals so the children can eat, highlighting the severe nutritional strain facing many Gaza families.