Reem Zeidan, a 42-year-old mother of eight, embarked on a perilous journey with two of her children to collect food from an aid distribution site in Gaza.
Her family said Israeli soldiers shot her in the head, leaving her children to mourn her tragic loss.
A Long and Dangerous Walk for a Simple Bag of Flour
It was around 8 pm when Reem, accompanied by her 20-year-old daughter Mervat and 12-year-old son Ahmad, set out on the arduous walk to the aid site.
They had to travel hours to reach the distribution center, located in Rafah, to collect a bag of flour to make bread.
The walk was fraught with danger, as many Palestinians had been killed while seeking aid in Gaza since the new distribution program was launched.
Aid Distribution Chaos
The United Nations had previously operated a network of hundreds of aid distribution points across Gaza but was recently sidelined by Israel.
The new program, led by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, has been criticized for its inefficiency and danger. The UN warned that reducing aid distribution to just four sites would lead to chaos and danger for those seeking aid.
Tragedy Strikes
After walking for about five hours, Reem, Mervat, and Ahmad reached a seaside area known as “Fish Fresh,” where they rested before continuing to the aid site. However, their brief respite was shattered when Israeli forces opened fire, killing Reem and leaving her children to mourn her loss.
A Family’s Heartbreak
Mervat and Ahmad were devastated by their mother’s death. Mervat recalled the moment she saw her mother fall to the ground, her face covered in blood.
The family’s tragedy is just one of many, as scores of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces while trying to reach aid distribution sites.
Humanitarian Crisis
The Israeli military acknowledges involvement in many of these incidents, often citing warning shots or threats from individuals.
However, human rights groups and witnesses dispute these claims, saying the attacks are indiscriminate and deadly. The crisis has led to widespread criticism of the new aid system, which has put civilian lives at risk.
A Call for Change
Humanitarian groups, including the United Nations, are calling on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza and to stop shooting at people trying to access food.
The current system has been deemed insufficient, with only a limited amount of aid reaching Palestinians. The tragedy of Reem Zeidan’s death serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of this crisis.