Thousands of Gazans, including children, endure brutal queues and dangerous conditions as humanitarian aid runs dry, pushing the community to the brink

In Gaza City, as dawn breaks over a war-torn landscape, 10-year-old Youssef al-Najjar races barefoot to a community kitchen, his battered pot in hand, desperate to secure a meal for his family amidst the escalating Gaza food crisis. Upon arrival, he finds himself surrounded by hundreds of others, all fighting for the same scarce resources. “People push and shove out of fear of missing their turn,” Youssef tells AFP, his voice barely rising above the chaos. “There are little children who fall.”

This scene has become a daily reality for thousands of Gazans, many of them children, as they queue at community kitchens in the desperate hope of securing food for their families. With the ongoing humanitarian crisis deepening, these kitchens have become the last lifeline for many, yet food supplies are rapidly running out. The United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday that it had distributed its “last remaining food stocks” to the kitchens, with no clear timeline for replenishment.

The situation worsened sharply when Israel blocked all aid from entering Gaza on March 2, 2025, shortly before resuming its military operations in the region. The blockade has exacerbated an already dire crisis, with basic necessities like flour, bread, and vegetables becoming luxuries few can afford.

Youssef, whose father was killed in the conflict, has had to grow up quickly. “I don’t dream of toys or games,” he says. “I dream of sitting at a table with my mother and sister, eating peacefully.” But that dream remains distant, as he races daily to secure food. In the chaos, it’s easy to lose what little you have. “Sometimes, my pot slips from my hands, and the food spills onto the ground,” he shares. “I return home empty-handed… and that pain is worse than hunger.”

Aida Abu Rayala, 42, also faces a grim struggle. Her home was destroyed in an airstrike, and she now lives with her children in a flimsy tent. She describes the gruelling process of waiting for food at the kitchen in the Nuseirat refugee camp: “We stand for hours under the blazing sun or freezing cold,” she says. “Some days, the food runs out before I get my turn.”

One particularly devastating instance left Rayala in despair. After waiting for three hours, she was told there was no food left. “My children cried… and in that moment, I wished I would die rather than see them hungry again,” she admits. Yet, despite these challenges, she vows to continue the fight for food. “Tomorrow, I will try to go earlier, hoping to get a plate of rice,” Rayala says. “We just want to live with dignity.”

The cooking operations at these kitchens are rudimentary, with volunteer chefs like Faten al-Madhoun, 52, working tirelessly to provide meals. Al-Madhoun and her team prepare food by hand, over wood fires, and without modern equipment. Some days, they can make 500 meals, but more than 600 people show up. “The need is enormous,” she says. “And with every day the borders stay closed, it only grows.”

Conditions are becoming increasingly dangerous as more people crowd the kitchens, often risking their lives in the chaos. Alaa Abu Amira, 28, from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, has witnessed many incidents: “If you arrive late, there’s no food. People crowd, they push, they fall,” he says. He recalls a young child being injured, and another girl who was burned by hot food as a pot tipped over.

Despite the hardships, the people of Gaza endure, clinging to the hope of securing food, even if the meals are often cold, tasteless, or repetitive. Abu Amira describes their meals as “rice half-cooked on makeshift wood fires” and “canned peas and beans.” “Our stomachs can barely handle it anymore,” he admits, “but what choice do we have? Hunger breaks everything.”

As food supplies dwindle, the humanitarian situation grows ever more dire, with the WFP warning that these community kitchens may run out of food soon. With bakeries shuttered and no sign of the blockade being lifted, the people of Gaza continue their battle for survival, fueled by their desire for dignity and the basic right to eat.