Nagham Atef Mezied, a 22-year-old medical student and volunteer doctor based in Deir el-Balah, recounts her morning routine and mealtime struggles:
At 9 am, I sit down to my breakfast, a meal that I used to have much earlier at 6 am. However, we’ve adjusted our schedule to delay breakfast in an effort to limit ourselves to one meal per day.
My breakfast consists of mankouche, a type of bread topped with cheese, herbs, pepper, and olive oil.
This simple fare sustains me until the evening, if we’re fortunate enough to have another meal. Otherwise, it’s all we have until the next day.
Despite our challenges, we consider ourselves fortunate compared to our brethren in the north who lack any food at all.
In the past, our breakfast table was laden with a variety of dishes like potatoes, salad, eggs, falafel, and beans. However, due to skyrocketing prices, many families, including ours, now rely solely on bread for survival. Affording even the most basic necessities has become increasingly difficult, making a decent meal of meat or chicken a luxury.
