Garlic simmers in huge metal pots heated over open wood fires and set up in a long line. Cooks add canned tomatoes and peppers with handfuls of spices, stirring the sauce with giant spoons.
What is being prepared here is not just lunch; it is a lifeline.
American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) opened this community kitchen in al-Zawayda in central Gaza after the ceasefire began six weeks ago. The US humanitarian organisation has another kitchen in al-Mawasi in the south of the strip.
Now, with more food allowed to enter, the situation has improved somewhat. Each day, Anera feeds a hot meal to more than 20,000 people.
However, team leader Sami Matar notes that their kitchens are unable to secure essential proteins like meat, limiting their meal options primarily to rice, pasta, and lentils.
The UN continues to call for more aid to be allowed into Gaza, as the humanitarian crisis persists. Access to food has remained a major concern since the onset of war in October 2023, and families like that of Aida Salha, who depend on community kitchens for their daily meals, face uncertain futures.
Recent figures indicate that the daily meals distributed in Gaza have now reached 1.4 million, yet many households are still limited to just one meal a day.
With the winter season approaching, food scarcity poses an increased threat to the well-being of families across Gaza. The hope for a safer and more secure future remains strong among those who have lost so much.
