Diapers and baby formula are hard to find in Gaza, leaving parents desperate
ABC News
The war in Gaza has sparked a humanitarian catastrophe that has prompted shortages of the most basic necessities
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip -- Zainab al-Zein was forced to make a desperate decision: Feed her infant daughter solid foods that her tiny body may not be able to digest or watch her starve because of a lack of baby formula in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Al-Zein chose to give 2 1/2-month-old Linda solids, knowing the choice could lead to health issues.
“I know we are doing something harmful to her, but there is nothing,” said al-Zein, feeding her wailing daughter crushed biscuits in the cold tent they now call home. “She cries and cries continuously.”
The war between Israel and Gaza's Hamas rulers has sparked a humanitarian catastrophe that has brought shortages of the most basic necessities. Some of the hardest-hit are babies, young children and their parents, with diapers and formula either hard to find or spiking to unaffordable prices, leading parents to look to inadequate or even unsafe alternatives.
Their plight is further complicated due to sporadic aid deliveries that have been hobbled by Israeli restrictions and the relentless fighting.
