APalestiniancooksfoodataschoolinthenorthernGazaStriponApril27,2024.(PhotobyAbdulRahmanSalama/Xinhua)GAZA,April29(Xinhua)--MohammedAbuHasna,adisplacedPalestinianbasedinRafah,canbarelycatchhisbreathashisrespiratoryhealthhassignificantlydeterioratedamidthehardshipsofwar.Shortevenoffirewood,Mohammedandthousandsofotherdisplacedpeoplewalkseveralkilometerstoscavengeforgrass,cardboard,andevennylonfrompilesoftrashwithbarehands."Everythinginourlifehaschanged...wehavetocookonfire,"hesaid,ascookingfuelhaslonggoneinGaza.Sevenmonthsago,the38-year-oldfatheroffivewasingoodhealth.Hewasanathleticmanwhoadoptedahealthylifestyle.HislifewasturnedupsidedownwhentheIsrael-HamasconflictstartedinOctoberlastyear,forcinghimtofleesouthwardandtakeshelterinatemporarytentinthecityofRafahwithtensofthousandsofotherdisplacedpeople.AtemporarycampisseeninthesouthernGazaStripcityofRafah,onApril27,2024.(PhotobyRizekAbdeljawad/Xinhua)"OnceIlitthefire,Iwasimmediatelysmotheredwithblacksmokebillowingintheroom...Unfortunately,Icannotstop(makingfire),asIhavetohelpmywifecookfoodforourchildren,otherwisetheyarestarving,"hecomplained.Overthepastsevenmonths,AbuHasnahasonlybeenabletoobtainonegastube,whichwasonlyenoughtolasthimonemonth.Breathlessnessandothersevererespiratoryproblemsprompthimtoseekmedicaladvice."Thedoctorsaskedmetostayawayfromthefire...somywifehastotakeoverthecookingtask,whichmakeshersick,"hesaid.ThechildrenofMariamal-Mughrabi,adisplacedPalestinianwomaninRafah,werealsotroubledbythesmokeemanatingfromburningfirewoodoreventrash,whichtheyusedforcooking."Mychildrenareforcedtoinhalethesmokerisingfromthecookingfire...wehavenootherchoice,"the49-year-oldwomantoldXinhua,whilepreparingfoodonacrudestove.PalestinianchildrenreceivefoodreliefinthesouthernGazaStripcityofRafah,onApril28,2024.(PhotobyRizekAbdeljawad/Xinhua)Whatmademattersworse,shedidnothaveenoughmoneytobuymedicineforherchildren."Wehavereceivedthousandsofdisplacedpeoplewhohavecontracteddiseasesduetolightingfiresinsteadofusingcookinggas,"Marwanal-Hams,anofficialatAbuYoussefAl-NajjarHospital,toldXinhua."Thenumbersaresteadilyrising,withmostofthemsufferingfromchestdiseases,shortnessofbreath,infections,andotherhealthissues,"Al-Hamssaid.Meanwhile,thegovernmentmediaofficeinGazarecordedthathundredsofpeoplereportedrespiratorysymptomsduetotheuseof"plasticandchemicalmaterialstolightfiresthatemittoxicfumes."SalamaMaarouf,theheadoftheHamas-rungovernmentmediaoffice,saidthat"theIsraeliauthoritieshavecontinuedtoblocktheentryofcookinggasandvarioustypesoffuelintotheGazaStrip.Thisexacerbatedthehumanitarianandhealthcrisisintheterritory."PeoplecookfoodatNuseiratRefugeeCamp,centralGazaStrip,onDec.26,2023.(Xinhua)Maaroufwarnedthattheillnessisawarningof"acrisisgettingworse,"callingontheinternationalcommunitytoexertpressureonIsraeltoallowtheentryofcookinggasintotheStrip.SinceOct.7,thePalestiniansinthebesiegedcoastalenclavehavebeenlivingunderalarge-scaleIsraelioffensive,whichcameinresponsetoanunprecedentedattackbyHamas,theIslamistgrouprulingGaza,onIsraelitownsadjacenttotheterritory.Hamasmilitantskilledabout1,200peopleinIsrael,accordingtoIsraelitallies.Sincethen,Israelhassuspendedthesupplyofelectricity,fuel,andcookinggastoGaza,whichcausesseriousproblemsforlocalsgrapplingwithaserioushumanitariansituation.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.