eye witness account of the flour massacre in gaza;

In less than a week, Israel has committed several massacres against the hungry. On Sunday, March 3, Israel bombed an aid convoy, killing 7 people. But the most infamous incident was on February 29, in what has come to be known as the “flour massacre” on al-Rashid Street, near the Nabulsi roundabout west of Gaza City. Israel killed over 115 starving people on that day, while over 750 people were injured.

Faris Elewya, 52, a resident of the Sha’af area east of Gaza City, told Mondoweiss what he saw. When he left his house, only two reasons justified braving the warzone that was northern Gaza. The first was the image of his starving family, made up of five children, and the second was the hope of returning with some flour to show for his trouble.

“I left the house not knowing what day it was,” he said. “And I don’t know what day it is now as I talk to you.”

“I had heard that anyone who goes to the Nabulsi area west of Gaza can find the aid trucks passing through the north. I didn’t hesitate. Even if I was taking a risk, it’s better than watching my family starve to death,” he continued. 

After walking for three hours, he reached the Nabulsi roundabout, where he found throngs of people already waiting for the convoy to arrive. There was hardly any room left for people to move, as some had brought their entire families with them to try and carry as much aid as they could get their hands on. Some had set up camp in the area the night before — the Nabulsi roundabout has become the first stop for any aid convoy arriving in the north — and had gathered stray firewood to keep warm as they waited.

Near the roundabout was an Israeli checkpoint guarded by several military vehicles. The army had placed its checkpoints at Gaza City’s two main entrances, the Nabulsi roundabout on Gaza’s coastline, and another site near the Kuwaiti roundabout on Salah al-Din Street. This convoy’s designated route passed through the coastal road. 

“People gathered in the vicinity of the vehicles, given their proximity to the gathering point,” Eleywa said. “But no one wanted to do anything to the tanks or the soldiers. Everyone there had only one objective: to find food for their families.”  

“Usually, people receive aid by taking it off the trucks that pass through,” he added. “But this time, when the trucks entered, people swarmed the trucks in hysteria because of the famine.”........more...........