Gaza’s community kitchens expand as ceasefire eases food aid flow

Gaza's community kitchens expand as ceasefire eases food aid flow

In al-Zawayda, central Gaza, the scent of garlic and spices fills the air as cooks stir vast metal pots over open wood fires, preparing meals not just for sustenance but for survival. The American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) community kitchen here, operational since a six-week ceasefire began, now serves over 20,000 people daily-a stark contrast to the dwindling supplies witnessed during Israel's blockade earlier this year.

From scarcity to scaled-up relief

Six months ago, Anera's kitchen in al-Mawasi struggled with dwindling stocks after Israel restricted all food and goods from entering Gaza. Today, with eased restrictions, the organization has expanded operations dramatically. Team leader Sami Matar notes a shift from 15 pots to 120 daily, now feeding over 4,000 families-up from 900 in May. "We're targeting more than 30 internally displaced camps," he says, though challenges persist.

The menu remains limited: rice, pasta, and lentils dominate weekly rotations, supplemented by canned vegetables like sweet peppers and onions. Fresh proteins-meat or chicken-are absent from aid distributions, deemed too costly for NGOs to procure locally. "We need diversity," Matar emphasizes, "essential proteins and fresh produce to improve nutrition."

Logistical hurdles and lingering shortages

While fuel shortages once forced Anera to transport meals via horse-drawn carts, a small truck now delivers food to crowded tent camps. Yet critical gaps remain: utensils, packaging, and gas canisters are scarce, complicating hygiene and efficiency. The UN reports 1.4 million daily meals now distributed across Gaza-up from 1 million last month-but warns that 25% of households still eat just once a day.

Market prices for staples like flour and sunflower oil have dropped since the ceasefire, though they remain far above pre-war levels. Two-thirds of households cite cash shortages as their primary barrier to accessing food, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). "We've lost everything-gold, possessions, even our home," laments Abdul Karim Abdul Hadi, a father of seven from Jabalia, whose son was killed and whose four-story house was destroyed.

Human cost amid fragile hope

For displaced families like Aida Salha's, the kitchen-called a takia-provides sporadic bread and meals. "We live off this," she says, describing a borrowed tent that collapsed in recent rains. "The ceasefire stopped the bloodshed, but nothing else has changed." Aid workers report widespread exhaustion and uncertainty among camp residents, many of whom see no path to rebuilding their lives.

With winter approaching, conditions worsen. Sami Matar describes heartbreaking conversations: "Families ask how to keep their children warm and fed. They feel abandoned." The UN Security Council's recent approval of a Gaza reconstruction plan offers a glimmer of hope, but the ceasefire's fragility looms large. "Their dream is simple," Matar adds. "A safe home, and the dignity to cook a meal with love."

"We've entered the third year of this war. I have no money left-no gold, no possessions. We are totally destroyed."

Abdul Karim Abdul Hadi, displaced father from Jabalia