‘My journey to get aid in Gaza was like Squid Game’

Middle East Eye has published the personal account of Yousef al-Ajouri, 40, describing the night he decided to go to the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in search of food packages.

Here's an excerpt from it:

"The tuk-tuk dropped us off in Nuseirat, in central Gaza, and from there we walked around a kilometre towards Salah al-Din Road. 

The journey was extremely difficult - and dark. We couldn’t use any flashlights, or else we would attract the attention of Israeli snipers or military vehicles. 

There were some exposed, open areas, which we crossed by crawling across the ground.

As I crawled, I looked over, and to my surprise, saw several women and elderly people taking the same treacherous route as us. 

At one point, there was a barrage of live gunfire all around me. We hid behind a destroyed building.

Anyone who moved or made a noticeable motion was immediately shot by snipers.

Next to me was a tall, light-haired young man using the flashlight on his phone to guide him. The others yelled at him to turn it off. Seconds later, he was shot. 

He collapsed to the ground and lay there bleeding, but no one could help or move him. He died within minutes.

Some nearby men eventually covered the man’s body with the empty bag he had brought to fill up with canned goods. I saw at least six other martyrs lying on the ground."

You can read the full account by clicking on the link below. 

Read more: ‘My journey to get aid in Gaza was like Squid Game’