In war-torn Gaza, a growing number of Palestinians, including children, are resorting to scavenging for food amidst the ruins as Israeli blockades severely limit food shipments into the territory. The dire situation has prompted warnings from the United Nations that if food deliveries do not increase, more than a million Palestinians - half the population of Gaza - may face starvation by July.

According to local authorities, Israeli bullets and bombardments have claimed the lives of over 37,000 people since the Israeli forces invaded Gaza in retaliation for a deadly attack by Hamas on October 7th. The Israeli government has repeatedly denied accusations of using starvation as a weapon against Palestinian civilians.

The scarcity of food in Gaza has turned it into a precious commodity, as humanitarian groups report that Israeli blockades have significantly slowed down shipments at the five main entrances into the territory. Efforts by the United States, in coordination with Israeli authorities, to facilitate food deliveries through a temporary pier called JLOTS (joint logistics over the shore) have not been sufficient to meet the growing demand. In fact, adverse weather conditions forced the military to dismantle the pier and relocate it to the Israeli city of Ashdod.

The consequences of the limited food supply are particularly severe in the northern parts of Gaza, where some residents are subsisting on bread alone. Footage captured by an NBC News video crew during an attack in Rafah showed destroyed U.N. vehicles and a family forced to rely on grass and wild greens to make soup. Describing their situation, a young girl revealed how they resorted to consuming rabbit feed and cow hay instead of flour.

In Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, children line up outside food banks, donning makeshift helmets made from pots, as they eagerly await deliveries of flour. Despite the devastation surrounding them, their resilience shines through as they bang their pots together in anticipation. Many spend their days scavenging for any available sustenance.

Lack of access to clean water compounds the dire circumstances facing Gaza's residents. Families like the Al-Harazins in Rafah face a daily scramble to fill their jugs as water runs for merely an hour each day. The scarcity of resources leaves them relying on improvised solutions, such as baking bread made from flour and water in a makeshift oven fueled by scraps of wood.

Nahed Al-Harazin, the head of the Al-Harazin family, explained that their precarious existence is solely due to the closure of crossings, severely hindering the flow of essential supplies.

As the situation in Gaza continues to worsen, with food supplies dwindling and access to clean water becoming increasingly scarce, urgent action is needed to avert what could be a humanitarian disaster of immense proportions. The international community is called upon to address the mounting challenges faced by the Palestinians in Gaza, ensuring that immediate and sustainable solutions are implemented to prevent further suffering.