‘Like the world has forgotten us:' As Iran-Israel conflict escalates, Gazans fear their suffering will become invisible
CNN —
The young girl sits on the dusty floor, clutching her father's shoe close to her chest as she cries and screams in anger. Bisan Qwaider is unconsolable. Her father has just been killed while trying to get food for her and her 10 hungry siblings.
Khaled Sha'ath, the photojournalist who captured the scene of Qwaider's grief on Sunday, told CNN that Bisan's father, Shadi, had left the family's tent in Mawassi, in southern Gaza, a few days earlier for Ma'an, just east of Khan Younis.
Shadi knew travel to the area was dangerous: Ma'an had been under an Israeli evacuation order for some time and has come under Israeli bombardment. But, despite the risk, his children were hungry and he believed he could get some food there for them.
Gaza is facing a hunger crisis. A UN-backed report published in late April warned that one in five people in Gaza were facing starvation and that the entire enclave was edging closer to famine. The situation has only worsened since then, according to the UN.
Sha'ath said Qwaider was killed in an airstrike and his body was pulled from the rubble on Sunday. He is one of hundreds of people who have died while attempting to find food in Gaza in recent weeks, according to Gaza health authorities.
CNN has asked the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) about the situation in Ma'an. The IDF responded by sending CNN a map of Gaza with 'dangerous combat zones' highlighted in red, which included Ma'an – as well as more than half of the territory.
In late May, Israel partially lifted an 11-week total blockade on Gaza, but humanitarian organizations say the aid entering now is only a tiny fraction of what is needed.
'Without immediate and massively scaled-up access to the basic means of survival, we risk a descent into famine, further chaos, and the loss of more lives,' the UN's humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said last week.
The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has sparked outrage around the world, recently prompting even some of Israel's closest allies to speak up.
France, the United Kingdom and Canada issued a rare statement last month criticizing Israel and threatening 'concrete steps' if the situation in Gaza does not improve. The UK paused trade negotiations with Israel and sanctioned West Bank settlers last month, and the European Union said it would review a key cooperation agreement with Israel.
Palestinians carry boxes and bags containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation earlier this month.
Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
But as tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Iran, people in Gaza are now worried that even the limited pressure on Israel over their suffering will quickly evaporate.
'The war between Israel and Iran made people forget about us completely. No one is looking at us, there's no food or water or anything. Every day, people go to try to get food and aid, and they end up being carried in body bags,' Mohammad, a Gazan who did not want to share his last name, told CNN on Monday.
Umm Mustafa, another Gazan, told CNN the growing conflict between Iran and Israel means that their suffering has disappeared from the international news agenda.
'All the (focus) has shifted to the Israeli-Iranian war, even though the Gaza Strip has been wiped off of the map,' Mustafa said.
Abu Juma'a, who lives in Gaza City, told CNN that while there were 'some voices calling and standing in solidarity with Gaza and calling for humanitarian aid to be let in, the Israeli-Iranian war meant there is no one calling for the food and water to be provided in Gaza.'
Palestinian women at a food distribution kitchen in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on May 30, 2025.
Abdel Kareem Hana/AP
One in 40 dead
More than 55,300 people have been killed and more than 128,700 injured in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to health authorities there.
The numbers are staggering: The death toll represents some 2.5% of the entire Gaza population, meaning that out of every 40 Palestinians living in Gaza before the war, one is now dead.
A peer-reviewed study published earlier this year in The Lancet journal, said that the number of people killed in Gaza is significantly higher than the figure reported by authorities in the enclave. CNN cannot independently verify those claims and Israel has barred international journalists from traveling to Gaza independently since October 7.
And the deadly hunger crisis is worsening. The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Monday that people are struggling to access basic goods because of Israeli restrictions on what can be brought into the territory.
Meanwhile, a US and Israeli-backed aid initiative, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – a controversial organization that was established amid Israeli accusations that Hamas is stealing aid in Gaza and profiting off its sale – is struggling to fulfill the task.
The organization has been criticized by multiple international aid agencies that it isn't fit for purpose.
According to Gaza health authorities, at least 300 people have been killed since the GHF opened its distribution points in late May, which are located in areas surrounded by active combat zones.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said last week that Israeli authorities have allowed only a select number of UN agencies and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to resume the delivery of aid into Gaza after partially lifting the blockade and that 'only very limited amounts of certain food items, nutrition supplies, some health supplies, and water purification items' are allowed.
Other aid supplies, such as shelter materials, hygiene products and medical equipment are still being blocked by Israel, according to OCHA.
'People can't find anything to eat or drink. The price of a bag of flour is now 300 to 500 times more expensive than before … it does feel like the world has forgotten us,' another Gaza resident, Abu Mohammed, told CNN.
For young Bisan Qwaider, the only thing from her father she could get a hold of was his shoe.
As she screamed for her father, she looked to the sky and shouted a message for those she believed were responsible for his death. 'May God hold you accountable,' she said.
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Egypt Independent
14 hours ago
- Egypt Independent
‘Like the world has forgotten us:' As Iran-Israel conflict escalates, Gazans fear their suffering will become invisible
CNN — The young girl sits on the dusty floor, clutching her father's shoe close to her chest as she cries and screams in anger. Bisan Qwaider is unconsolable. Her father has just been killed while trying to get food for her and her 10 hungry siblings. Khaled Sha'ath, the photojournalist who captured the scene of Qwaider's grief on Sunday, told CNN that Bisan's father, Shadi, had left the family's tent in Mawassi, in southern Gaza, a few days earlier for Ma'an, just east of Khan Younis. Shadi knew travel to the area was dangerous: Ma'an had been under an Israeli evacuation order for some time and has come under Israeli bombardment. But, despite the risk, his children were hungry and he believed he could get some food there for them. Gaza is facing a hunger crisis. A UN-backed report published in late April warned that one in five people in Gaza were facing starvation and that the entire enclave was edging closer to famine. The situation has only worsened since then, according to the UN. Sha'ath said Qwaider was killed in an airstrike and his body was pulled from the rubble on Sunday. He is one of hundreds of people who have died while attempting to find food in Gaza in recent weeks, according to Gaza health authorities. CNN has asked the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) about the situation in Ma'an. The IDF responded by sending CNN a map of Gaza with 'dangerous combat zones' highlighted in red, which included Ma'an – as well as more than half of the territory. In late May, Israel partially lifted an 11-week total blockade on Gaza, but humanitarian organizations say the aid entering now is only a tiny fraction of what is needed. 'Without immediate and massively scaled-up access to the basic means of survival, we risk a descent into famine, further chaos, and the loss of more lives,' the UN's humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said last week. The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has sparked outrage around the world, recently prompting even some of Israel's closest allies to speak up. France, the United Kingdom and Canada issued a rare statement last month criticizing Israel and threatening 'concrete steps' if the situation in Gaza does not improve. The UK paused trade negotiations with Israel and sanctioned West Bank settlers last month, and the European Union said it would review a key cooperation agreement with Israel. Palestinians carry boxes and bags containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation earlier this month. Abdel Kareem Hana/AP But as tensions continue to escalate between Israel and Iran, people in Gaza are now worried that even the limited pressure on Israel over their suffering will quickly evaporate. 'The war between Israel and Iran made people forget about us completely. No one is looking at us, there's no food or water or anything. Every day, people go to try to get food and aid, and they end up being carried in body bags,' Mohammad, a Gazan who did not want to share his last name, told CNN on Monday. Umm Mustafa, another Gazan, told CNN the growing conflict between Iran and Israel means that their suffering has disappeared from the international news agenda. 'All the (focus) has shifted to the Israeli-Iranian war, even though the Gaza Strip has been wiped off of the map,' Mustafa said. Abu Juma'a, who lives in Gaza City, told CNN that while there were 'some voices calling and standing in solidarity with Gaza and calling for humanitarian aid to be let in, the Israeli-Iranian war meant there is no one calling for the food and water to be provided in Gaza.' Palestinian women at a food distribution kitchen in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, on May 30, 2025. Abdel Kareem Hana/AP One in 40 dead More than 55,300 people have been killed and more than 128,700 injured in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to health authorities there. The numbers are staggering: The death toll represents some 2.5% of the entire Gaza population, meaning that out of every 40 Palestinians living in Gaza before the war, one is now dead. A peer-reviewed study published earlier this year in The Lancet journal, said that the number of people killed in Gaza is significantly higher than the figure reported by authorities in the enclave. CNN cannot independently verify those claims and Israel has barred international journalists from traveling to Gaza independently since October 7. And the deadly hunger crisis is worsening. The International Committee of the Red Cross said on Monday that people are struggling to access basic goods because of Israeli restrictions on what can be brought into the territory. Meanwhile, a US and Israeli-backed aid initiative, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – a controversial organization that was established amid Israeli accusations that Hamas is stealing aid in Gaza and profiting off its sale – is struggling to fulfill the task. The organization has been criticized by multiple international aid agencies that it isn't fit for purpose. According to Gaza health authorities, at least 300 people have been killed since the GHF opened its distribution points in late May, which are located in areas surrounded by active combat zones. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said last week that Israeli authorities have allowed only a select number of UN agencies and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to resume the delivery of aid into Gaza after partially lifting the blockade and that 'only very limited amounts of certain food items, nutrition supplies, some health supplies, and water purification items' are allowed. Other aid supplies, such as shelter materials, hygiene products and medical equipment are still being blocked by Israel, according to OCHA. 'People can't find anything to eat or drink. The price of a bag of flour is now 300 to 500 times more expensive than before … it does feel like the world has forgotten us,' another Gaza resident, Abu Mohammed, told CNN. For young Bisan Qwaider, the only thing from her father she could get a hold of was his shoe. As she screamed for her father, she looked to the sky and shouted a message for those she believed were responsible for his death. 'May God hold you accountable,' she said.
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Egypt Independent
Iranian strikes expose bomb shelter shortage for Palestinian towns inside Israel
Tamra, Israel CNN — In a small, tight-knit town near Haifa in northern Israel, residents here never thought they would experience such horror. Inhabited by Palestinian citizens of Israel, Tamra was left shaken after an Iranian missile struck a residential building late Saturday evening, killing four civilians, Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom (MDA) reported. The rocket struck a home belonging to the Khatib family at around 11:50pm, according to emergency responders. Manar Khatib, a local teacher, and her two daughters Shatha, 13, and Hala, 20, as well their relative Manar Diab were all killed instantly. Manar's husband Raja and their youngest daughter Razan both survived. Over the last 20 months of war, rockets have occasionally been launched from across Lebanon's border into northern Israel. But Tamra has never taken a hit like this – until hostilities with Iran erupted into direct strikes between the two countries this week. The morning after, the mood in the Lower Galilee town was somber, compounded by anger over a lack of adequate bomb shelters, an issue that Palestinian citizens of Israel have long warned was a glaring inequality that exists throughout their communities. The street where the missile landed was filled with bulldozers trying to clear the debris. Many cars were burned from the impact, with glass shattered all around. Residents and volunteers gathered around to offer support and condolences. The buildings next to the Khatib home had sustained some damage, and almost every home had its windows blown out. 'When we heard the strike, everyone in the village headed there to help. It was a very difficult and chaotic evening. We found body parts littered across the street, and very tragic sights we didn't want to see,' Mohammad Diab, an emergency rescue volunteer told CNN. Diab said it was difficult to reach the family because of the intensity of the impact. Emergency responders searched for survivors trapped under the 'heavy destruction' of the three-story building. A man stands inside a damaged room after missiles fired from Iran impacted a residential building in Tamra, northern Israel June 15, 2025. Ammar Awad/Reuters For 25-year-old neighbor Mohammad Shama, Saturday night was 'terrifying'. 'As soon as the escalations began with Iran, we knew the situation would be dangerous, but we didn't think the danger would come this close to us,' he told CNN. He rushed to his neighbors' home as soon as he heard the blast and tried to help retrieve the bodies. The only reason the Khatib family's youngest daughter survived was because she was sleeping in the room the house uses as a shelter, he said. But not every home in Tamra even has a shelter. Lack of shelter access Only 40% of Tamra's 37,000 residents have either a safe room or a functioning shelter, the town's mayor Musa Abu Rumi told CNN. And there are no bunkers or public shelters which are otherwise ubiquitous across most Israeli towns and cities. In the wake of the attack, his municipality decided to open up educational facilities in Tamra to be used as shelters for whoever didn't feel safe sleeping at home. 'The government has never financed the construction of shelters in our town, because they have other priorities,' he said. Several government ministers have visited Tamra in the wake of the attack, and Abu Rumi said others are planning to visit in the coming week. He told CNN he wants to take advantage of that to raise the issue of neglect in Tamra, and 'bridging the gap between Jewish Israelis and Palestinian citizens of Israel'. The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), an independent research center published a report in the wake of the Tamra attack, describing how 'Arab communities remain unaddressed' almost two years since the outbreak of war. The report points to the 'significant gaps in protection' between Arab and Jewish communities. Civil defense capabilities are built into the infrastructure of Israel. Israeli law requires all homes, residential buildings, and industrial building built since the early 1990s to have bomb shelters. These shelters prove crucial to protect Israelis when warning sirens go off – providing the public with safe and fortified locations to hide from incoming rockets. Emergency and security personnel stand inside a damaged building after missiles fired from Iran impacted a residential building, in Tamra, northern Israel June 15, 2025. Ammar Awad/Reuters However, many Palestinian towns in the country's north 'lack public shelters, protected areas, and shelter facilities,' according to a statement from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. 'The urgency in providing such a response gains secondary validity in light of the fact that the main disparity in the field of defense in the northern district is within Arab towns,' the statement continued. Local resident Shama conceded that there is neglect in Tamra and said he suspects it's because of racism. Social media videos show In many ways, the Tamra strike has highlighted not just the tragedies of this war, but also increasingly embittered fault lines and divisions in Israeli society and governance. In a neighboring town called Mitzpe Aviv, social media video verified by CNN showed Jewish Israelis rejoicing over the rockets raining down on Tamra this weekend, shouting 'may your village burn!' Knesset member Dr. Ahmad Tibi told CNN scenes like that were the 'result of the culture of racism that has spread in Israeli society and the escalating fascism.' Another Knesset member, Naama Lazimi, condemned the video on X, writing; 'shame and disgust.' On the lack of shelters, Lazimi added that 'this is an even greater shame because this is a state with racist and abandoning policies.' Tamra resident Nejmi Hijazi also lamented the video, telling CNN 'in your own country, you are treated as a stranger, even as an enemy, even in your blood and in your death.' Social media videos showing Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem hailing Iran's attacks on Tel Aviv have also circulated. One resident was apprehended and taken in for questioning, according to Jerusalem District Police – a move that national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir applauded, warning that 'anyone who celebrates with the enemy will be punished!' Men walk near a damaged vehicle at an impact site following missile attack from Iran in Tamra, northern Israel, on June 15, 2025. Ammar Awad/Reuters As the threat of more strikes continues to fuel fears in Israel, the residents of Tamra are left feeling anxious. 'Last night was one of the most difficult nights I have ever experienced. I can't forget the image of the little girl I saw trapped under the rubble,' Manal Hijazi, a neighbor told CNN. Hijazi described the Khatibs as some of the nicest and most loving people in the neighborhood. Manar had taught most residents in Tamra. One of her former students is Raghda, a neighbor whose house was also damaged by the Saturday blast. 'I was in bed with my three daughters when the rocket struck. The window blasted open and I got hit by dust and rocket remnants. That happened all in front of my eyes, with my daughters right next to me,' Raghda told CNN, teary and shaking. Raghda described the horror she felt cradling her 4-month-old daughter throughout the attack. She said her daughters were shocked and remained silent for many hours. 'There is no way I will be sleeping at home tonight,' she said. CNN's Dana Karni contributed to this report.
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Egypt Independent
Anguished Air India crash families give DNA samples to help identify loved ones
Ahmedabad, India CNN — Just yesterday at Ahmedabad airport, Sangeeta Gauswami clung tightly to her only child, her heart swelling with pride as she saw off her 19-year-old son from their home in the western Just yesterday at Ahmedabad airport, Sangeeta Gauswami clung tightly to her only child, her heart swelling with pride as she saw off her 19-year-old son from their home in the western Indian state of Gujarat, to begin a new chapter at university in London. Now, less than 24 hours later, she sits frozen in shock and grief, in the same clothes she wore for that farewell – her world upended by a devastating crash. Her son, Sanket, was among the 242 people aboard Air India flight AI171, which plunged from the sky just seconds after take-off – leaving only one survivor, and hundreds of shattered families. Three officials from India's National Disaster Response Force told CNN on Friday that a flight recorder from the doomed flight had been located, a crucial step which could provide families with vital clues as to why the plane came down. The Boeing Dreamliner crashed into a medical college hostel, killing passengers, crew and an unclear number of people on the ground, making it one of India's deadliest plane crashes in decades. A firefighter works at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Sam Panthaky/AFP/Getty Images For hours, Gauswami clung to the faintest hope that Sanket had somehow made it out alive. But by Thursday night, hope had given way to heartbreak as she faced the unimaginable: offering her DNA to help identify her only child among the dead. 'We have had no news,' she chokes out, sat with her sister, who is also crying. 'We keep asking but no one will tell us.' Sunny Kakadia, 38, has been long-term friends with Javed Ali Syed, who was on the ill-fated Air India plane with his wife Mariam and their young children Zayn, 6, and Amani, 4. The two friends grew up together in Mumbai, went to college together and attended each others weddings. Javed worked in hotel management in London and held British citizenship. He had been living there for 10 years and had come home to visit his ailing mother, who is suffering from a heart condition. Kakadia dropped his friend off at Mumbai airport, from where he took a flight to Ahmedabad, the airport where he and his family were due to fly home to London. Speaking to CNN from the city's hospital on Friday, Kakadia said, 'We arrived here at 2 a.m., his brother and I. He gave his DNA sample. They're telling us we will only get results by Sunday.' He continued, 'We've also been enquiring at other hospitals, running here and there, we haven't even gotten the time to cry.' DNA samples have been collected from more than 190 relatives at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and are being verified against retrieved bodies from the crash site. It's an agonizing process that could take up to 72 hours, according to state official Harshit Gosavi, who is overseeing the operation. Grief fills the hospital hallways as families grapple with the loss of loved ones. In one corner, an elderly woman's cries pierce the quiet sobs of others. Friday's sorrow is a stark contrast with the chaos of a day earlier, when relatives rushed to the hospital in the hope of finding their loved ones alive. Kalpeshbhqi Patni, 28, mourns as he waits outside the postmortem room at a hospital for his brother's body on Saturday in Ahmedabad, India. Adnan Abidi/Reuters Health officials take DNA samples from family members of the victims who died when an Air India plane bound for London's Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, India on June 12. Adnan Abidi/Reuters Manisha Thapa's family sits shattered after rushing from their home in the eastern city of Patna on the first flight they could find after learning of the plane crash – knowing very well that the 27-year-old was among the cabin crew on the flight. 'I had spoken to her one day ago,' her mother says, voice trembling as she wipes away tears with a tissue offered by her daughter's friend. 'We speak daily. She had called to let me know we won't be able to talk because she would be on a long flight.' Manisha's father hasn't stopped weeping since he gave his DNA sample Friday morning. The tail of the airplane can be seen stuck in a building in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on June 12, 2025. Ajit Solanki/AP India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ahmedabad Friday, inspecting the crash site and meeting the sole survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. Ramesh's story is being hailed as nothing short of a miracle. Video of him walking to help crash victims with a bloodstained shirt, and lying in hospital with a few cuts and bruises, are circulating widely on social media. 'At first, I thought I was going to die… I realized I was still alive and saw an opening near my seat. I managed to unbuckle myself. I used my leg to push through the opening and crawled out,' he told Indian state broadcaster DD News. 'Everyone around me was either dead or dying. I still don't understand how I'm alive.' While the authorities' immediate focus is on confirming the number of casualties and providing support to the victims' families, attention will soon turn to what caused the crash. The US National Transportation Safety Board said it will lead a team that is heading to India to assist local authorities' probe into the crash. The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has also formally offered its assistance to Indian authorities.
