#GazaSoupKitchen Update on June 26, 2025 by #HaniAlmadhoun, Organizer

"Dear friends and allies,

I owe you an update from the Gaza Soup Kitchen. But first—thank you. Thank you for being here, for pouring your heart into this with us and for us. None of this happens without you.

Yesterday, I thought we had good news. For once, it seemed the aid trucks made it safely to the right organizations, thanks to a remarkable effort by #Palestinian families who stepped up to protect the convoys from looters and opportunists.

But this morning, the #FarRight #Israeli government announced it would block #aid again—claiming that aid reaching civilians somehow “helps militants.” Do you see how absurd this is? When aid flows in an orderly way, it reduces Palestinian suffering—and that undermines Israel’s cruel objective of using #starvation and chaos as tools of war.

Make no mistake: Israel thrives on the images of desperate people fighting over scraps. Some looters are simply desperate; others, emboldened by Israel, have been weaponized to disrupt aid, drive up prices, and deepen the misery.

So what does this mean for us? For starters, we’re finalizing plans to open our tenth kitchen. Yes—ten. Our operations have doubled since March because the need has doubled. Other aid actors have shut down, paused, or couldn’t figure out how to operate under siege. But we didn’t stop. We won’t.

And please—direct your frustration where it belongs: at #Israel, not the aid organizations. Groups like #UNRWA are still on the ground, delivering healthcare, education, and water under impossible conditions.

Prices in #Gaza are unpredictable. One day we can afford staples, and the next day, the prices skyrocket. Vendors are charging as much as 40% in transfer fees because cash is so scarce. It’s supply, demand, and unfortunately, a bit of gouging—capitalism under siege.

Our team has been cooking dishes we haven’t made in months. Just recently, we served Romanya and Damsat Adas (lentil stew). We’re also rotating lentil stews, white bean stews, and—when we can source enough—rice-based meals to feed entire neighborhoods.

People know to find us in Al-Sheikh Radwan, Al-Shati (Beach Camp), Al-Nasr, and Al-Rimal. Our northernmost spot is Al-Saftaway, and our westernmost is literally on the Gaza pier—cooking right on the dock.

Beyond food, our water trucks are out every single morning, delivering clean drinking water to shelters and neighborhoods. We maintain a steady presence in Nuseirat with both water and a pop-up kitchen there. That location runs with the help of a trusted partner team since we don’t have a full-time crew based there.

Our medical point stays busy—serving an average of 80 patients a day. Primary care, dental work, physical therapy, wound care, and a small but vital pharmacy we stock regularly. Nurses are changing dressings, soothing pain, and holding it down in ways few ever see.

We also continue delivering hot meals daily to two of Gaza’s still-functioning hospitals. For the past six weeks, these meals have been a plate or container of baked pies and pizzas—warm, filling, and made with dignity. Because even patients and exhausted medical staff deserve a meal that feels like home, not just survival.

Meanwhile, our flexible initiatives continue—small but mighty. Just yesterday, we handed out new clothes to over three dozen children sheltering in a school. This is led by Chef Mahmoud’s widow, Ms. Alaa, alongside my mother. A few days ago, the same crew prepared falafel wraps, produce packs, and molokhia leaves for families in need.

And Ms. Fatma—God bless her—is back in her classroom, teaching the little ones their ABCs. Her class has 20 bright-eyed students, eager to learn, to grow, and to hold onto some sense of childhood. The stories coming out of that tent classroom are both heartbreaking and profoundly beautiful.

Now, I know this sounds like the cliché part, but hear me when I say it—this only works because of you.

You keep the Gaza Soup Kitchen running. You keep the lights on. You placed your trust in us—our team, our stories, and our stubborn belief that even in the darkest moments, we can deliver hope with a bowl of soup, a bag of rice, a clean drink of water, or a fresh-baked pie.

When deep-pocketed organizations shut down in Gaza during the hour of greatest need—we stayed open. And not just open—we doubled our locations.

Please keep walking this path with us. Share our stories. Tag us. Mention us in your gatherings, your prayers, your summer events—even if it’s as simple as a lemonade stand. (And shout out to the kids who’ve done just that—you are giants among us.)

And to the #Jewish souls who are fasting for Gaza right now—thank you. Thank you for refusing to let a vile, right-wing government weaponize your grief. Your humanity shines.

In sumud,
Hani"

Donate: https://www.gofundme.com/f/Hot-meals-in-gaza-daily

#NorthGaza #GazaAid #GazaFundraisers #FreePalestine #Fundraisers #FoodIsLife #WaterIsLife #GoFundMe #BeitLahiya #BaitLahiya #KhanYounes #Palestine #Genocide #Starvation #IsraeliWarCrimes #NorthernGaza
Remember #ChefMahmoud
#HumanRightsAreNeverWrong #IsraeliWarCrimes #BibiIsAWarCriminal