‘The war is between Israel and Iran. Why should people in Gaza pay the price?’
Funeral for three Palestinians killed by Israeli forces west of Gaza City, at Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, 8 March 2026
Ahmed Dremly and Ibtisam Mahdi report in +972 on 19 March 2026:
When Israel and the United States first launched aerial strikes on Iran on February 28, 20-year-old Shorouq Dawas was still asleep inside her family’s makeshift shelter in Gaza City’s Al-Yarmouk Stadium. But soon, her sister Nagham rushed in to deliver the news — and to rouse Shorouq into action.
“She shouted that Gaza’s borders were being closed and that we should go shopping before food runs out,” Dawas told +972. “I hurried to change my clothes, took what money we had in the tent, and left with her.”
Dawas lives with her 63-year-old mother and brother, while Nagham, 28, who is married, lives in another tent a few kilometers away, but the sisters often go together to buy food. Since the death of their father in August 2025, Dawas has taken on the responsibility of providing for the family.
When the sisters reached the market that morning, they were shocked by the crowds. “People were rushing to buy as much as they could afford — white flour, sugar, oil, rice, tomato paste, lentils,” Dawas said. “Some traders began raising prices as they realized supplies might run out and no new goods could enter.”
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Food prices surge
News that Israel had closed Gaza’s border crossings for “security reasons” immediately after launching strikes on Iran spread rapidly across the Strip on social media.
For many residents, the announcement triggered fears of an immediate spike in food prices, especially given the already limited quantities of aid and commercial goods entering Gaza since the ceasefire.