Gaza's markets turn into a forced route in search of flour

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Gaza -

In a market that arose randomly on Al-Wahda Street, west of Gaza City, and amidst the rubble scattered on both sides of the street, vendors line up displaying their goods, where clothes, shoes, cleaning tools, and other goods can be found, while citizens roam the street back and forth, asking the merchants a unified question. Is there flour?

Sellers say that what they are offering is what remains of the goods that were stored in the stores, as the Israeli occupation forces do not allow any goods to enter the besieged Strip.

Finding food inside this market seems like tracing a needle in a haystack, and if food supplies are available, their prices are very high and are not affordable for residents whose savings have run out and who have been suffering from unemployment for nearly 5 months.

The starvation policy launched by Israel in the northern Gaza Strip forces many residents to visit the markets many times during the day, in search of anything “edible,” and it also pushes them to flee to the southern Strip, according to what observers see.

The ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip since October 7 prompted the International Court of Justice to issue a decision on January 26 ordering Israel to prevent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and to ensure the provision of basic services and humanitarian aid.

Ramesh Rajasingham, an official at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told the UN Security Council last Tuesday that “at least 576,000 people in the Strip are one step away from famine.”

Raed Al-Adawi and his wife visit the market several times every day in search of flour (Al-Jazeera)

No flour

On a daily basis, Raed Al-Adawi and his wife visit the market in search of wheat flour, but to no avail. If he finds quantities of it, he is unable to buy it, as the price of one kilogram of it reaches 150 shekels ($42), which forced him to risk his life and go To Al-Rashid Al-Sahel Street, perhaps he could get a bag of flour, but he did not succeed.

Israel, which has created a complete security vacuum in the northern Gaza Strip, allows the entry of a few trucks loaded with flour, but it shoots the Palestinians who come to get it. This is what happened in the massacre committed by the occupation army last Thursday, in which approximately 118 people were killed, and hundreds of those who tried were wounded. Get aid.

Al-Adawi, who was with his wife in Al-Wahda Market, told Al-Jazeera Net that he feeds his children “things that animals do not accept to eat,” and his wife intervenes, saying that in the past they used to find poor-quality flour made from corn and barley, but - despite its bad quality - they no longer find it. She said, "We did not find corn, wheat, barley, or anything at all."

Citizen Hossam Abu Hasira says that Israel is obligated to feed the population because they are under its occupation (Al Jazeera)

Hummus and hibiscus

After despairing of finding flour in the market, citizen Hossam Abu Hasira decided to buy a box of cooked chickpeas to feed his children. He told Al Jazeera Net that he roams the streets and markets searching for flour to no avail, and when he finds a little of it, he cannot buy it because of its high price.

Abu Hasira, a father of 6 children, mentions that he bought a can of chickpeas weighing half a kilogram for 14 shekels (about 4 dollars), after it had previously cost only 5 shekels (1.4 dollars). He adds, “For 8 days we have been living on chickpeas, or we buy (plants). ) mallow.

With great anger, Abu Hasira addressed Israel and the United States by saying, "If you had animals, you would feed them. We (humans) have eaten the food of animals, and there is nothing left to eat. We are souls. Israel is forced to feed us because we are under its occupation."

He points out that dropping aid from planes is "useless", as it is very few, and only the "strong" benefit from it.

Palestinians roam the markets of the northern Gaza Strip in search of wheat flour, but to no avail (Al Jazeera)

No fruits or meat

Due to the injuries of her husband and her eldest son as a result of the occupation’s bombing, Mrs. Randa Al-Yaziji was forced to go herself to the market, to search for food for her family, accompanied by her daughter, who was injured in the head.

In agreement with her previous citizens, Randa Al-Yaziji told Al-Jazeera Net that food supplies are scarce, and the prices are very expensive, and she adds, "I am experiencing very great suffering in providing any livelihood for my children. I hope to God that this war will end."

During her search for food in the markets, she hoped to find vegetables at reasonable prices, but she found only very few varieties, such as green onions, lemons, and hibiscus. As for fruits and meat, she had not seen them in the market for a long time, and she said, “The thing I most wish for - as a mother - is a bite to eat.” Bread and flour.”

Seller Ramadan Al-Hallaq says that nuts have become a substitute for food, but they are not satiating and are high in price (Al-Jazeera)

Nuts substitute flour

The starvation policy prompted merchants to remove the remaining nuts delivered by the Israeli destruction machine from warehouses and containers, and push them to the markets as a replacement for the lost flour, but their high price does not make them accessible to all residents.

The seller, Ramadan Al-Hallaq, admits that the prices of nuts are high, which makes them an expensive alternative for citizens, and he tells Al Jazeera Net that “nuts were for certain groups and for entertainment, but now they are a basic food substitute for flour, but they are not a filling meal, and not all people can buy them.” .

The majority of goods available in the market are not edible (Al Jazeera)

Will to work

Before the war, Abdul Qader Murshid owned a store that sold cleaning tools and home accessories, but his store was bombed and destroyed. He recently decided to extract the remaining goods in his destroyed store and offer them for sale on one of the sidewalks of the Al Wahda Street market, with the aim of providing a source of income for his family.

While Murshid pointed to the colorful bottles filled with cleaning supplies, he told Al Jazeera Net, "These goods are what remained of my store that was bombed," and since his stall is devoid of any kind of food, he does not sell many goods, and does not make a good profit.

He comments on this by saying, "Few people buy from me, because people are looking for food, drink, and flour. The loss of food has pushed people to eat animal food."

But Murshid insists on continuing his work despite the lack of sales and profits, considering that this is “better than sitting at home without working.”

Source: Al Jazeera