WANA (Jul 23) – At a time when the siege of Gaza has intensified more than ever before, the cries of hungry children have pained the hearts of millions around the world—a world that has remained only a spectator, with hands tied, incapable of delivering even a morsel of bread or a sip of water to the besieged people of Gaza.

 

In a land where bread, water, and medicine—the most basic human rights—have turned into deadly weapons, the Israeli regime and its supporters use hunger and thirst as tools to force people into submission. People who, under a shelterless sky, stand in line for a bit of food—lines that themselves are not spared from military attacks.

 

Under such conditions, the question many people in Iran and other parts of the world are asking is: Is there really no way to help the people of Gaza? And if there is, how can they be helped? This question is especially more pressing for the people of Iran: How does Iran help Gaza?

Fatemeh Khatib, a peace activist, speaks about the difficult routes for sending aid to Gaza:

 

“Sending water, food, and essential items is usually done through intermediaries and the borders of neighboring countries. These aids are distributed inside Gaza by Palestinian charitable organizations, but due to the severe blockade and restrictions, the distribution is uneven and prices are exorbitant.”

 

Despite all efforts, the siege conditions have made sending non-monetary aid nearly impossible. One member of an Iranian charity organization says:

 

“Over the past year, all physical routes for sending aid have been blocked, and the only remaining option is to send monetary assistance to the accounts of local intermediaries inside Gaza.”

 

According to him, although food items can still be found in Gaza’s local market, they are so rare and expensive that they are out of reach for ordinary people:

 

“A 25-kilogram sack of flour costs nearly $1,800. A can of powdered milk sells for up to $70. Even a single sheep, if found, might cost up to $3,000. People in Gaza cannot afford these items, and malnutrition has become a serious crisis.”

In Iran, institutions such as “Rang-e Zeytoon” and “Iran Hamdel”, by collecting public donations, send these funds—via unofficial yet still active channels—to trusted intermediaries inside Gaza. These intermediaries, despite all difficulties, procure essential items like food and powdered milk from the market and distribute them among those in need.

 

In Gaza’s market—where even some Jewish intermediaries are sometimes involved—prices have soared to unbelievable levels. Nevertheless, charitable groups, despite the many difficulties and high costs, continue trying to not abandon the people of Gaza.

 

According to this charity worker, only a limited number of food trucks enter Gaza daily, which do not meet the needs of millions. Another portion of food enters through smuggling and is sold at astronomical prices.

 

According to the latest statistics, the Ministry of Health of the government affiliated with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Gaza Strip announced in a brief statement on its Telegram channel on Tuesday afternoon that 15 more people, including four children, have died in the past 24 hours due to famine and malnutrition.

 

The Ministry further emphasized that with the registration of these cases, the total number of deaths due to famine and malnutrition in the Gaza Strip has reached 101, of which 80 are children.