'When we don't have wood, we burn our clothes': Soup kitchens in Gaza struggle to feed displaced

Amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Palestinians have established soup kitchens dedicated to providing meals for displaced people.

Mohammed, a volunteer cook at one of the initiatives in Rafah's al-Shaboura refugee camp, told Middle East Eye that they have had to increase output by at least 7 times the amount they used to cook. 

"Even that is not enough," he said in an on-the-ground interview. "I feel so sad for the people who end up waiting in line for hours but are not able to get food.  I wish the world could stand with Gaza and stop this."

"People wait in lines all day, from morning to night. Some successfully get food while others do not. So many people had to flee to this area, and the humanitarian conditions here are miserable. Displaced people are pleading with us for food and clothes for children," he said.

Mohammed said local inflation has made basic necessities unaffordable for most.

"We do not have gas. Wood is expensive, it used to cost 5 shekels, now it's up to 40. Lentils used to be 2 shekels per kilo, now they are 15. A bag of flour, which used to be 30 shekels, now costs 300 shekels. Prices have skyrocketed," he said.

Samiha, another volunteer who helps the cook in the kitchen, said that when wood runs out to cook on they turn to any flammable materials available, even if the fumes are not always safe.

"All of us volunteers are exhausted. We cook over an open fire, which requires a lot of wood. When we don't have wood, we burn our clothes, shoes, and plastic, which poses risks to our health and our breathing, especially for the small children."