In Gaza, life for Mahmoud Labad and his young son Obaida is measured in seconds. Born with hydrocephalus and carrying multiple injuries, Obaida depends entirely on his father’s care amid a city under siege. Every day is a battle for survival, from the fear of bombardment to the struggle for food and urgent medical attention. Mahmoud’s worry is constant, knowing that any lapse could cost his son his life, yet he persists, determined to provide him with a semblance of safety and dignity amid relentless hardship.

Obaida’s condition is severe. After surgeries in late 2023 and injuries sustained during recent attacks on their home in Jabalia, he continues to endure chronic pain and serious nutritional deficiencies, having lost almost 19 kilograms and requiring strict dietary care. Mahmoud describes the daily effort to maintain his son’s health as exhausting and fraught with danger, from searching for scarce baby formula to managing feeding schedules under harsh conditions. The physical and psychological toll is immense, with Mahmoud living in constant fear for his child’s wellbeing.

The crisis extends far beyond one family. Hospitals across Gaza report unprecedented numbers of malnourished children and adults, many arriving emaciated and weak from prolonged hunger. The Ministry of Health has warned that famine has reached catastrophic levels, with over two million people at risk amid an ongoing blockade that has denied essential food, medicine, and fuel for nearly 150 days. For families like the Labads, survival is a daily act of endurance, a struggle against both the immediate violence surrounding them and the systematic deprivation that continues to threaten life in the Strip.