Starvation as Strategy

Reflections on Gaza on World Hunger Day

Gaza. A name bloated with grief. A name now synonymous with slow, orchestrated hunger. A siege not only of missiles, but of milk, medicine, and bread. On World Hunger Day, the globe performs its ritual of posters, pledges, pious headlines. And somewhere beneath those earnest declarations, the children of Gaza lie curled like commas in a sentence the world refuses to finish.

Their bellies distend with emptiness, not excess. The ache of hunger is not just in their stomachs; it’s in the sky they sleep under, the silence between the drones, the absent hum of refrigerators long without power. Hunger here is not an accidental condition, but a carefully engineered consequence. Every checkpoint, every embargo, every deliberate delay of aid is a thread in a noose. Hunger is used like language: coded, precise, administrative. "Security reasons." "Necessary controls." "Buffer zones."

In Gaza, mothers boil stones in pots. A performance for the eyes of their children, a promise of food that never arrives. They lull their sons and daughters with the steam of hope, as if hunger might be fooled by fiction. And the world? The world scrolls past.

World Hunger Day is a strange thing. It drapes solemnity over indifference. It measures suffering in infographics and pie charts. It lights candles while food is buried in landfills. It remembers the hungry once a year, like a reluctant relative visiting the grave of someone they never truly knew.

Hunger, of course, is not just in Gaza. It stalks the savannahs of Africa, crawls through the slums of Mumbai, lingers in the hollows of Appalachian America. It wears many faces: some brown, some black, some white, all gaunt. But in Gaza, hunger has become an act of war. A deliberate starvation. A weapon wielded not with bayonets but bureaucracy.

There are children who no longer cry when they're hungry. Their bodies have learned futility. Crying requires energy, and hunger has stolen even that. Mothers try to stretch food the way they once stretched lullabies, but there is only so much a grain of rice can do. Only so much a mother’s body can give before it breaks under the weight of her children’s needs.

And yet, there is defiance. A boy builds a kite from the wrappers of foreign aid. A girl recites poetry on an empty stomach, her words louder than any missile. In Gaza, hunger may be policy, but dignity remains rebellion.

On this World Hunger Day, let us not pretend we do not know. Let us not drape our complicity in the velvet of concern. The maps of the hungry are also maps of empire, of war, of extraction. Hunger is not born: it is made. Manufactured by men in suits and sanctioned by silence.

The question is not why they starve. The question is: why do we let them?

And so Gaza waits. Not for pity. Not for crumbs. But for justice. For an end to the siege not just of food, but of truth. Until then, the Mediterranean no longer sings lullabies. It howls. And the children of Gaza, curled in their comma-shaped hunger, remain the unwritten story of our time.

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Here are several reputable organizations actively providing food and humanitarian aid to Gaza. Each has a proven track record of delivering assistance under extremely challenging conditions. Your support can make a direct impact on families facing starvation and displacement.

ShareTheMeal (World Food Programme)

ShareTheMeal is the official app of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), allowing users to fund meals with a tap. WFP has been instrumental in delivering food parcels, hot meals, and supporting bakeries across Gaza. Since the ceasefire, WFP has reached over 1 million people with food assistance.

Donate here: (ShareTheMeal)

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UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency)

UNRWA provides vital aid, education, and healthcare to over 5 million Palestine refugees. Your donation helps deliver food parcels, clean water, and emergency cash assistance to families in Gaza. For example, a $75 donation can provide a food parcel and clean water to a Palestine refugee family.

🔗 Donate here: (UNRWA)

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World Central Kitchen (WCK)

Founded by chef José Andrés, WCK provides meals in response to humanitarian crises. They have been on the ground in Gaza, delivering freshly prepared meals to displaced families and those in need. WCK emphasizes the importance of providing not just food, but dignity through meals.

🔗 Donate here: (World Central Kitchen)

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Islamic Relief USA

Islamic Relief USA has been responding to the crisis in Gaza by providing essential food aid, clean water, healthcare, and psychosocial support. Their efforts include distributing food parcels and supporting rehabilitation centers for children with disabilities.

Donate here: (Islamic Relief USA)

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Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF)

PCRF focuses on providing medical care, food, and shelter to children and families in Gaza. Through their Zakat Fund, donations support essential services for the most vulnerable, ensuring that children receive the care and nutrition they need.

Donate here: (PCRF)

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Note: Due to the complex and evolving situation in Gaza, some aid organizations may face challenges in delivering assistance. It's advisable to check the latest updates from these organizations to understand how your donation will be utilized.