Malvikha Manoj (she/her)

The World Central Kitchen announced yesterday the complete suspension of its services in the city of Khan Younis and terminated the contracts of more than 150 cooks. Every short period, it seems to announce a new suspension or the end of part of its operations, as if stability in providing aid no longer exists at all. The meals they provided were the only semi stable source of food for hundreds of thousands of families. Now, services have been halted by nearly 90% across Gaza City. Today, while distributing water, we passed by one of the food kitchens that used to distribute meals. There was nothing left except a large pot of plain white rice, with no additions no sauce, no vegetables, not even a pinch of salt. I saw hundreds of people men, women, children, and elderly literally fighting over this small amount of rice. They pushed each other, stretched out their hands in desperation, their eyes hollow, and their faces pale. I saw the anguish in their eyes. I saw the sadness weighing down every step. The world does not fully understand the scale of the tragedy here. Every time an aid organization stops or reduces its services, another part of life in Gaza dies. My family and I used to benefit from these meals that were being provided, but for many months now we have not received a single meal. I say this not only as an individual case, but as a reflection of a reality that now includes thousands of families who have lost this essential source of food. I swear to you that what we are living through cannot be described in words. People are not just hungry they are broken. They need more aid, not less. What they have endured is enough; the death that follows them every day is enough.