Gaza Kitchens Struggle to Feed Thousands Despite Ceasefire
American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) opened the community kitchen in al-Zawayda six weeks ago, following the fragile ceasefire. The US-based organization operates more than 35 kitchens across the Gaza Strip, serving hot meals to tens of thousands daily. A BBC visit to the al-Mawasi kitchen earlier this year highlighted the scarcity of food during the height of the blockade; stocks had been dwindling as Israel restricted supplies entering the territory. Since the ceasefire, access has improved. Each day, Anera now feeds more than 20,000 people. “We have moved from using 15 pots in the past to 120, targeting over 30 displaced persons’ camps,” team leader Sami Matar said. “We’re serving more than 4,000 families compared to just 900 six months ago.” Yet challenges remain. While pasta, rice and lentils form the bulk of meals, fresh vegetables and essential proteins such as meat and chicken remain largely unavailable to aid agencies. Sami Matar explained that, though World Central Kitchen helps deliver food into Gaza, “we are mostly confined to cooking just three types of meals a week. We need the food to be more diverse to improve both taste and nutrition.” In the past, food transport relied on horses and carts, but limited fuel now allows trucks to deliver meals more efficiently. Even so, fresh meat and poultry are only imported commercially, at prices beyond the reach of humanitarian organizations. The UN reports that roughly a quarter of households in Gaza are eating only one meal a day, despite over 1.4 million meals being distributed daily by various organizations. Residents like Aida Salha, a mother of six, live in borrowed tents, relying entirely on community kitchens for survival. “Nothing has changed since the ceasefire except the bloodshed stopped,” she said. With winter approaching, conditions are worsening. Aid workers witness exhaustion and uncertainty in displaced families, many of whom lost homes, livelihoods and loved ones during the war. “The future hope is very simple,” Matar said. “People want to live in a safe, secure place and be able to cook a hot meal for their children with dignity.” The fragile ceasefire remains, but the struggle to feed Gaza’s population highlights the urgent need for more consistent humanitarian access.
| 2025-11-24 10:19:56