Life is rapidly being choked out of northern Gaza. After enduring nearly five months of bombing, starvation, illness, pain and suffering, many of the last survivors have finally had enough, according to some of the displaced who have been speaking to UN News.

For months, the UN has been warning of a looming famine, particularly in northern Gaza as everything needed to sustain life has either been destroyed or simply run out. This is now being translated into, not as a result of shells and bullets, but for lack of proper nutrition — or any nutrition at all.

“Everything that benefits the body, internally and externally, is not available in the north.” With these words, Abdullah Qarmout explained why he was forced to leave his home in the Jabalia refugee camp, where he had spent his whole life.

Signs of distress and exhaustion were visible on the 64-year-old man’s face when UN News met him west of Gaza City on Al Rachid Street, the main coastal road in the Strip. Along with several others, Abdullah and his wife, Aisha, decided to take the long and dangerous journey to the south in search of sustenance and safety.

Aisha told UN News that she and Abdullah had convinced their son, Mohamed, to make the journey south along with his family of seven after exhausting all other options.

“I swear, his children were sleeping out of hunger. They didn’t have any food. He could not buy [diapers] and milk. I swear.”

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