“They’re Just Hungry”: Gaza Mother and Triplets Face Ongoing Starvation Despite Ceasefire

Deir el-Balah, Gaza

Israa Abu Reyala and her husband, Mohammad, wake each day to the same desperate task: finding acceptable food for their five daughters, including triplets born during the fighting. The family says a ceasefire that began roughly a month ago has brought little relief.

"The war was a nightmare," Israa, 31, told reporters as she fed the youngest children in her parents' home in Deir el-Balah. "But the hardest part has been finding food, milk and basic supplies for my three babies."

Triplets born during the conflict

Israa learned she was carrying triplets two months before the fighting intensified. The babies — Keraz, Kifah and Jumana — were delivered by emergency cesarean at al-Awda Hospital on March 28, 2024, two weeks before the scheduled procedure, after bombardment made travel perilous. One newborn weighed 2.0 kg (4.4 lb) and two weighed 1.9 kg (4.2 lb), within expected ranges for triplets.

Now 19 months old, Israa says the triplets have had almost no access to nutritious food. "They don’t even know what an egg looks like, much less what it tastes like," she said. Chicken has been a rare treat, usually only available when meals are shared with extended family.

Markets, aid and nutrition

When the ceasefire was announced — and with it the promise that Israel would allow food and aid into Gaza — the family hoped for a change. Instead, local markets are, in their words, "stuffed" with packaged snacks: biscuits, chocolate, sweets, instant noodles and canned goods. Fresh produce, meat, dairy, eggs and other high-nutrient items are scarce or prohibitively expensive.

"Where are the eggs? Where is meat and poultry? Fresh dairy and cheese? Anything healthy, nutritious or essential for children doesn't exist — and when it does, it's in tiny amounts that vanish immediately," Israa said.

Dr Khalil al-Degran, a spokesperson for Gaza’s Ministry of Health, told reporters that deliveries entering Gaza amount to only "15 to 20 percent of actual needs." He said many of the items allowed through are low in nutritional value and that markets lack primary sources of protein and fats. Humanitarian officials have described the resulting deprivation as "engineered starvation," a phrase used to warn that limited access to nutritious food can weaken communities physically and psychologically.

Health impacts and daily struggle

Officials report rising rates of anaemia among pregnant and breastfeeding women, along with increased instances of premature births and miscarriages linked to food and supplement shortages. Israa said recent tests showed she is in the early stages of malnutrition.

At home, the challenge of obtaining infant formula, diapers and clothing was immediate. The triplets required roughly one can of formula per day — a supply the family struggled to secure. Israa, herself undernourished, supplemented with breastfeeding until her health deteriorated.

"My body was exhausted and starving," she said. "I cried when my babies cried from hunger. Their repeated calls — 'nanna, nanna, nanna' — still echo in my head." She described walking out into the street, overwhelmed by the sound of their hunger.

Ten-year-old Toleen and her six-year-old sister, Jana, also remember fleeing tanks and soldiers, walking with their parents under white flags as they sought safety in different shelters before moving south. The family’s movements during the conflict and the restrictions on aid have left lasting scars.

What the family asks

Despite the hardship, Israa and Mohammad express gratitude for what little they have. Their plea is simple: more consistent, nutritious aid delivered through open crossings so families can return to something resembling a normal life.

"Open the crossings. Let food and aid through. We've had enough. We've seen enough," Israa said.

Reporting includes the family’s account and statements from Gaza health officials about aid shortfalls and nutrition concerns.