‘I saw death to bring some flour for my children’
Many Palestinian parents in the Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip are risking their lives daily in a desperate search to find food for their forcibly starved children.
A mother named Zainab Dakka has shared her story of having to say goodbye to her children each time she leaves – not knowing if she will return:
“There was shooting and death, until I secured some flour, thank God. “I’m really happy, really really happy. I saw death to bring some flour for my children. Every day, they sleep while they are hungry. They want something good to eat.
“I kissed my sons and daughters (before going to get food aid); I didn’t know if I would return with food. Thank God, I got beans and some flour for the children, thank God.
“I wish every country would send flour to us. People go to get aid and they die. We don’t know whether they will return or not. I thought I would not come back to my children. That this would be my final day. But thank God, I returned safely and got them food.
“Who would feed me? I will go, once, twice, three times, four times, five times, until flour is secured. Even if I die, the most important thing is to secure flour for my children.
“If I don’t go, then we don’t eat. There is no work, there is nothing. If we don’t go to Zikim [aid distribution point], my children would keep crying. “No one will give you anything unless you go and risk getting killed trying to find some flour or something for your children. Everyone is out for themselves.”
Zainab Dakka stands outside her tent with her daughter and a bag of flour she brought back from an aid delivery, in Gaza City
At least 94 killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza in past 24 hours
The latest daily casualties update from the Health Ministry in Gaza is in.
At least 94 Palestinians were killed and 439 others wounded in the past 24-hour reporting period, it said in a statement. Among the dead were 29 people killed while attempting to collect humanitarian aid.
The ministry said the total number of people killed in Israeli attacks since the start of the war has now reached 60,933, with 150,027 wounded. Since March 18 alone, when Israel broke a ceasefire deal, Israeli attacks have killed 9,440 people and wounded nearly 38,000.
Civil defence crews continue to report that victims remain trapped under rubble and on roads inaccessible to ambulances.
Earlier, we reported that health officials also recorded five new deaths due to famine and malnutrition in the past day. The overall number of such deaths now stands at 180, including 93 children.
Israeli forces kill 41 people across Gaza since dawn
At least 41 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn, including 20 aid seekers, sources at Gaza hospitals tell Al Jazeera.
