For 69 days, the unhealing wound of northern Gaza continues to bleed, its pain unrelenting with no remedy in sight. The area remains trapped in a cycle of suffering, as the siege intensifies, cutting off basic necessities and leaving its people without respite.
Since the last ceasefire in December 2023, residents like Nariman Maarouf have had to find desperate alternatives to survive. "We haven’t used cooking gas since the ceasefire ended. Now, we rely on wood to cook and heat water," she says. But even firewood is running out, forcing many to issue a red alert as the blockade tightens its grip on Gaza’s north.
“More than 68 days of being trapped in our homes, bombarded by Israeli attacks, have deepened our suffering," Maarouf continues. "Our lives have turned upside down. We’re unable to even prepare a simple meal, as our firewood supply runs dry."
With essential supplies like flour also running low, Gazans have turned to using expired flour, sifting it and storing it for future use, as their resources dwindle. The siege has forced them to make do with anything they can find, even burning plastic, but the black smoke it produces taints their food, leaving it inedible.
Despite the unimaginable hardship, Maarouf remains defiant: "We will not leave, no matter what. They want to destroy us, but we will die with dignity. We’ll face death as we’ve lived—steadfast." The northern Gaza Strip remains trapped in this relentless cycle of survival, with no end in sight.
The United Nations has described the situation as dire, warning of an impending famine that could devastate the population. Since October 5, 2023, the Israeli siege has left northern Gaza without food, aid, or cooking gas, while the ongoing genocide continues to claim countless lives, particularly among women and children.
Source : Safa News
