“Who Is Standing with Us?” He Asked. “We Only Have God – God Is with Us.”

‘They Are Fighting Us Through Our Food’

Amid the wreckage of the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza, Umm Muhammad’s daughter, Hala, gathers pieces of wood and foam to start a fire.

Their home is gone—reduced to rubble. Now, the family of 11 lives in a tent surrounded by the remnants of concrete and twisted steel where their house once stood.

With only flour, water, and oil, Umm Muhammad can still bake bread. But for how much longer?

“The food aid is what’s keeping us alive,” she said. “We eat and drink for the whole month from aid. Without that, it will be very difficult… aid makes us live.”

Now, that lifeline is in jeopardy as Israel tightens its grip on Gaza.

On Sunday, the Israeli government announced a halt to food and humanitarian aid deliveries, aiming to pressure Hamas into releasing more hostages and setting new conditions for a ceasefire extension. This decision came just a day after the initial phase of a ceasefire deal ended.

“As of this morning, the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza will be prevented,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, claiming that Hamas controls “all of the supplies of goods that are being sent to the Gaza Strip” and that the aid is being turned into “a budget for terrorism directed against us.”

Hamas dismissed the accusation as “baseless lies.” Aid organizations working in Gaza say they distribute supplies directly to those in need.

The United Nations and humanitarian groups accuse Israel of violating international law by cutting off aid and allege that starvation is being used as a weapon of war—an allegation Israel denies. These organizations also argue that Israel has been restricting or complicating the delivery of aid throughout the conflict.

During the six-week ceasefire, 25,000 trucks loaded with food, hygiene supplies, tents, and other essentials entered Gaza, easing widespread food insecurity and slightly improving the dire humanitarian conditions.

During Ramadan, families were able to gather for Iftar, markets showed signs of revival, and consistent aid deliveries provided a fragile safety net.

Now, Israel’s blockade is being felt across the strip.

Food prices are soaring, and aid organizations are struggling to stretch their dwindling supplies. The World Food Programme has warned that bakeries and soup kitchens in Gaza could be forced to shut down in less than two weeks if aid deliveries do not resume.

Israel has also threatened to escalate its measures if Hamas refuses its demands, including cutting off electricity and water supplies.

Human Rights Watch, a US-based organization, cautioned that within a week, much of Gaza’s water infrastructure could collapse due to a lack of fuel caused by the blockade.

Meanwhile, fears of renewed conflict are mounting, especially after former US President Donald Trump warned on Wednesday that unless Hamas releases all remaining hostages, he would provide Israel with the weapons needed “to finish the job” in Gaza.

For many in Gaza, the blockade itself is already a return to war.

“They are fighting us through our food,” said Abu Muhammad, standing on the ruins of Jabalya. “Netanyahu is now publicly saying ‘I will close the crossings and starve you.’ No one is standing against him.”

“Who is standing with us?” he asked. “We only have God – God is with us.”