Aid workers feel helpless after Israel's blockade pushes Gaza towards famine

New Indian Express

19-05-2025

BEIRUT: Two cases pushed nutritionist Rana Soboh to wits' end. First, a woman was rushed to a Gaza emergency room after fainting while she breastfed her newborn. She told Soboh she hadn't eaten in days.
The next day at another medical facility, Soboh found a severely malnourished one-year-old boy weighing 5 kilograms (11 pounds), less than half what's normal. He hadn't grown any teeth. He was too weak to cry. The mother was also malnourished, 'a skeleton, covered in skin.'
When the mother asked for food, Soboh started crying uncontrollably.
A feeling of powerlessness has overwhelmed her. Soboh said sometimes she gives a little money or a bit of her own food.
But now she, too, is struggling.
'This is the worst feeling, wanting to help but knowing you can't. I wished the earth would crack open and swallow me,' she said.
'What more cruel scenes does the world need to see?'
After months of trying to raise alarm, humanitarian workers are overflowing with anger, frustration and horror over Israel's nearly three-month blockade.
The Associated Press spoke to over a dozen aid workers, some with years of experience in emergencies around the world and Palestinians who have worked through this and other wars.
They say what is happening in Gaza is a catastrophe, among the worst they have ever seen. It's more painful, they say, because it's man-made, caused by Israel cutting off all food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to the territory nearly 11 weeks ago.
The world's top authority on food crises last week warned of famine unless the blockade ends. Almost the entire population of around 2.3 million is acutely malnourished, and one in five Palestinians are on the brink of starvation, it said.