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STORY: WHO / GAZA FOOD UTILIZATION
TRT: 03:41
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / NATS
DATELINE: 17, 19 DECEMBER 2023, RAFAH, GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE
17 DECEMBER 2023, RAFAH, GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE
1. Various shots, large vats of food being prepared as displaced Gazan’s watch
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced Person:
“This war brought up an unbearable level of humiliation, too much struggle and humiliation so we can only be able to provide lunch. Life here has become so expensive it’s unbearable. We do not eat, drink or sleep properly. And nothing is available.”
3. Various shots, large vats of food being prepared, and the contents distributed
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced Person:
“It takes me 45 minutes by foot to go get the meal and another 45 minutes to come back so I can provide it to them. I don’t know what to say anymore, the situation is extremely difficult.”
5. Various shots, large vats of food being distributed amongst the crowds
19 DECEMBER 2023, RAFAH, GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE
6. Various shots, canned goods for sale on the streets
7. Various shots, food being cooked on the streets as a young boy looks on
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced Person:
“Today we are in a very tough situation in the shelters; there’s chaos, violence and unbearable things, we are good people here. Even the aid provided by the UNRWA, or any other institutions is costing a lot to cook and to prepare, more than its actual value. People are unable to buy or even prepare food due to the lack of gas.”
9. Various shots, fruit, vegetables and canned goods for sale on the streets
10. Various shots, bread being prepared and cooked on the streets
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced Person:
“As you can see our kids are suffering from stomach flu, coughing, suffocation. There’s no diesel, everyone is filling their car tanks with used cooking oil and it’s not healthy at all and causes diseases; I took three of my children to the Kuwaiti hospital and they gave me treatment. A third of it is not available and they told me that I have to work with this as there are no alternatives.”
12. Wide shot, people on bicycles and horse carriage
The conflict in Gaza continues to severely compromise food utilization. The absence of cooking gas has resulted in a heightened reliance on firewood, wood residues, and waste burning as a primary source of cooking fuel.
Hunger is ravaging Gaza, and this is expected to increase illness across the Strip, most acutely among children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, and older people. In new estimates released today, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) global partnership, which includes WHO, said Gaza is facing “catastrophic levels of food insecurity,” with the risk of famine “increasing each day.”
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced Person:
“This war brought up an unbearable level of humiliation, too much struggle and humiliation so we can only be able to provide lunch. Life here has become so expensive it’s unbearable. We do not eat, drink or sleep properly. And nothing is available.”
An unprecedented 93 percent of the population in Gaza is facing crisis levels of hunger, with insufficient food and high levels of malnutrition. At least 1 in 4 households are facing “catastrophic conditions”: experiencing an extreme lack of food and starvation and having resorted to selling off their possessions and other extreme measures to afford a simple meal. Starvation, destitution and death are evident.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced Person:
“It takes me 45 minutes by foot to go get the meal and another 45 minutes to come back so I can provide it to them. I don’t know what to say anymore, the situation is extremely difficult.”
Poor food consumption levels in households could manifest as a lack of daily consumption of staples and vegetables, along with nearly no intake of protein-rich foods such as meat and dairy.
The shortage of water and concerns about its safety are affecting food utilization, the ability of individuals to make good use of the food they access. In besieged, war-torn Gaza, IDPs in the southern governorates have reported an average access of less than 2 litres of water per person per day.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced Person:
“Today we are in a very tough situation in the shelters; there’s chaos, violence and unbearable things, we are good people here. Even the aid provided by the UNRWA, or any other institutions is costing a lot to cook and to prepare, more than its actual value. People are unable to buy or even prepare food due to the lack of gas.”
Gaza is already experiencing soaring rates of infectious diseases. Over 100 000 cases of diarrhoea have been reported since mid-October. Half of these are among young children under the age of 5 years, case numbers that are 25 times what was reported before the conflict.
SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Displaced Person:
“As you can see our kids are suffering from stomach flu, coughing, suffocation. There’s no diesel, everyone is filling their car tanks with used cooking oil and it’s not healthy at all and causes diseases; I took three of my children to the Kuwaiti hospital and they gave me treatment. A third of it is not available and they told me that I have to work with this as there are no alternatives.”
Over 150 000 cases of upper respiratory infection, and numerous cases of meningitis, skin rashes, scabies, lice and chickenpox have been reported. Hepatitis is also suspected as many people present with the tell-tale signs of jaundice.
