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People in the blockaded Gaza are eking out living in rubbish dumps to survive Israel's chocking siege. (Google) |
CAIRO — With basics are hard to find in the overcrowded sliver of land, Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip are eking out living in rubbish dumps to survive Israel's chocking siege, reported The Observer on Sunday, December 21.
"It is the first time we have been seeing people picking through the rubbish like this looking for things to eat," said Chris Gunness of the UN relief agency UNRWA.
"Things are particularly bad in Gaza City where the population is most dense."
Israel has closed Gaza's exits to the outside world since Hamas took control of the strip last year, banning food and fuel shipments to the 1.6 million Palestinians there.
The closures left 51.8 percent of Gaza population live below the poverty line, according to UNRWA estimates.
The people in the seaside strip also live without electricity, water and sewage services for up to 16 hours a day.
"Things have been getting worse and worse," said Gunnes.
"Because Gaza is now operating as a 'tunnel economy' and there is so little coming through via Israeli crossings, it is hitting the most disadvantaged worst."
The UN official warned that the Israeli siege was also causing the spread of communicable diseases as the water and sewerage systems have not been maintained properly because of lack of spare parts.
"This is not a humanitarian crisis," Gunnes said.
"This is a political crisis of choice with dire humanitarian consequences."
Lifeless
Ameera Ahmed, like many Gazans, feel her dreams and hopes have been dashed over the crippling siege.
"During the months of the blockade, everything in my life has changed," said the 25-year-old.
"Before, I would wake up and hope that tomorrow would be better than today. But it never happened. The reason is simple. It is because I live in Gaza, where all dreams and hope vanish because of the situation we live in."
Ahmed's tears roll down her cheeks when she remembers that she can't find milk for her six-month baby girl.
"Things are so tough here that even when I needed to buy baby formula for her, I can't find it.
"Everything here that you need to survive is hard to find. There can be no electricity for hours and hours. Some days we only have power for six hours a day. Recently we had a period when we had no power at all for two whole days."
Like many Gazan families, Ahmed's can not even find bread in the besieged strip.
"Sometimes we go for days on end without having any bread," said Ahmed.
"And meat is an even bigger problem. It is so expensive. Recently there have been times when we have gone without meat for long periods because of the cost and because what money my husband does receive, when he gets it, is needed for the most important things of all - like finding baby formula for Layan.
"I never imagined that my children would grow up like this, in this awful predicament. Poor and always threatened." |
