Aseel Lulu, a mother of three from Nuseirat camp in the middle of Gaza, faces an overwhelming struggle to ensure her children have enough to eat. The ongoing war, now stretching over a year, has left her family without access to essential foods containing proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins. Lulu, who is expecting her new baby next February, fears for her children’s health as food insecurity continues to engulf her family.

Her situation is made worse by a previous health scare—her eldest son contracted hepatitis, forcing her to hospitalize him in facilities that lack sufficient medical care. With a heavy heart, she laments: "I cannot provide enough meals for my children due to the scarcity of aid and high prices." Their diet lacks basic staples like flour, milk, meat, eggs, fish, and cheese, contributing to the worsening crisis.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), nearly 733 million people worldwide suffer from hunger, with Gaza facing its worst food crisis in recorded history. Approximately 96% of Gaza's population faces severe food insecurity, defined as *"emergency" or "catastrophe".

Weam Hamdouna, a mother of nine, lives in a dilapidated tent near Deir al-Balah’s coastline and shares similar fears. She accuses both local and international organisations of failing to support vulnerable children during these challenging times. "My children’s health is constantly deteriorating; they have lost much weight, and some suffer from hair loss and osteoporosis due to malnutrition," she explains.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reported that 3,500 children are at risk of death due to hunger and malnutrition, with 36 fatalities already confirmed. Another mother, Wijdan Nasr, shares her distress, lamenting the inability to afford even the simplest foods. "My heart breaks when I cannot secure the simplest means of a decent living for my children," she says, highlighting the skyrocketing food prices as a major obstacle.

The FAO also noted that two-thirds of Gaza's agricultural land—equivalent to 10,183 hectares—has been devastated by the war. The restrictions imposed by Israeli policies have led to dwindling supplies, with commercial and humanitarian aid entering at significantly reduced levels despite promises of increased access.

Meanwhile, water supplies are critically limited. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the average daily share of water per person in Gaza is between 3 and 15 litres—far below the amount recommended by the World Health Organization. This has compounded the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.

These stories of struggling mothers in Gaza underscore the urgent need for international support and aid to address this growing health and food crisis.