BBC’s Gaza freelance journalists on struggle to feed families

Three of the trusted independent Palestinian journalists who relied on the British Broadcasting Corporation participated to cover it in Gaza, how they are now struggling to feed their families and often go two days or more without eating.

All men kept their cameras, and they sent us vital footage, even in the days when their close relatives were killed, lost their homes, or they flee the Israeli military progress with their families.

One was wounded by shrapnel from Israeli bombing during the mission.

But he says the current time is “the most difficult time I lived since my birth. It is a huge crisis of suffering and deprivation.”

International food security experts did not classify the situation in Gaza as a starvation, but the United Nations agencies warned of humanitarian hunger.

They blamed Israel, which controls all supplies entering the Palestinian territories, but denied responsibility.

We have agreed not to identify our colleagues by name to consider their security.

They tell us that the inability to provide the smallest and most vulnerable to their loved ones is more difficult.

“My son who suffers from autism does not realize what is going on around him. He does not know that we are in war and does not speak.”

“In recent days, it was so hungry that he began to hit his stomach with his hand to indicate to us that he wanted food.”

Our younger colleague, in southern Gaza, is the main family of his parents and brothers.

He tells us: “I constantly wonder how to get food for my family.” “My little sister, 13, continues to order food and water and we cannot get it for her. Which water we find will be contaminated.”

The BBC has issued a joint statement with other media organizations that it says “is very concerned” about the welfare of the local independent journalists with which it works in Gaza.

“For several months, these independent journalists were the eyes and ears of the world on the ground in Gaza. They are now facing the same terrible circumstances as they are covering,” says the BBC statement, the Algerian News Agency and news agencies.

The current conditions make a story of what happens more challenging.

“I feel tired and exhausted all the time, to the point of dizziness and falling on the ground,” said the veteran journalist who is working with us now in Gaza City and takes care of his mother and sisters and five children between the ages of 2 and 16.

He says he lost 30 kg (4 lb) in 21 months of war.

He tells us: “I used to complete most of the news reports very quickly, but I am now slow to finish because of my poor health and psychological state.” “Delirium and fatigue accompanying me.”

“I cannot describe the feeling,” says the southern Gaza photographer. “My stomach turns into a knot, and I have a headache, add until it is defeated and weak. I used to work from 07:00 until 22:00 but now I can barely do one story. I feel dizzy.”

Recently, it collapsed during filming, but later resumed his work.

Although the lack of food was a constant problem during the war, those who receive salaries from abroad in the past are still able to buy basic supplies, albeit at exorbitant prices on local markets. Now even those markets are largely empty.

“I have reached the eating point from the charitable cuisine. In recent days, this meant that my children were eating one meal a day – only limited of foodstuffs such as lentils, rice and pasta,” says Gaza City journalist with four young children.

Two men say they took to drink water with a little salt to try to suppress their hunger. Someone says he can sometimes buy a 50 gram biscuit for their daily meals, but this costs 30 shekels (9 dollars; 6.60 pounds).

Getting money is an ordeal in itself. It now includes the use of money dealers.

“If you need money, this is often not available, but when it is, it is accompanied by a 45 % withdrawal fee,” explains one of Gaza City photographers. “This means that if I go to withdraw $ 1,000, I will get only $ 550.

“The difficulty is due to the closure of banks. These funds are funds are another form of suffering after our hunger,” added our colleague in southern Gaza.

In the past, journalists from the Israeli BBC, like me, were able to travel regularly to Gaza to report, even during the war period.

However, since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, Israel, along with Egypt – when the Rafah crossing was still open – prevented foreign journalists from reaching the region except in limited implications with the Israeli army.

“We urge the Israeli authorities once again to allow reporters inside and exit from Gaza,” BBC and other news organizations said in their statement.

This week, 28 countries, including the United Kingdom, issued a joint statement saying: “The war in Gaza must end now.” They called on Israel to comply with its obligations under international law and stop “draining” aid.

On Wednesday, more than 100 relief agencies and rights groups reported that “with the completely secured supplies now, humanitarian organizations are witnessing their colleagues and partners are lost in front of their eyes.”

The news organizations have noticed the following: “Journalists bear many deprivation and difficulties in wars. We are very anxious because the threat of hunger is now one of them.”

They added: “It is necessary for the sufficient food supplies to reach people [in Gaza]”

At the present time, our colleagues are fighting by reaching every day, and buding their responsibilities with their families with their desire to tell the world about the exceptional difficulties in their people.

One of them told us: “It is currently catastrophic. Hunger has reached every home.” “This is like a suspended death penalty.”