Gaza City: Sa7ten Cooks 15 Pots at Mina Camp Under Blackout as IOF Tightens Siege
Team serves families on foot and in tents along al‑Rasheed; hand‑to‑hand cash support delivered under armor advances.
On September 17, under an ongoing genocide and a deepening siege on Gaza City, Sa7ten prepared 15 large cooking pots at Mina Camp on al‑Rasheed Street and served families sheltering in tents and people moving on foot. The operation ran through a communications blackout and reports of armor pressing from multiple directions.
What happened:
The team cooked at Mina Camp to intersect with people moving westward and those already sheltering nearby. With no public transport and constant risk on the roads, pots, wood fuel, and ingredients were moved by handcart in multiple runs. Spices came up from the south; onions were purchased near al‑Saraya, and missing items (garlic powder, stock cubes, tomato sauce) were gathered through short, risky errands. Portions were served hot on the spot to families in tents and passers‑by on al‑Rasheed.
Constraints and risks:
No internet and failing phone calls (ghost rings) made coordination difficult. Movement remained hazardous amid armor advances from al‑Zaytoun, Tal al‑Hawa, Sheikh Radwan, and lower al‑Jalaa. The team kept set‑ups small, rotated pots, and cleared quickly.
Voices from the ground:
“We ran this as a message of defiance. Not everyone will see us, but those who did—those who ate or passed by—know there are people who will keep working no matter what.” — Ahmad, Sa7ten’s Operations Manager.
“There are no communications—no data at all—and calls don’t really ring. We tried over and over just to gather the team.” — Coordinator, on attempting to assemble the crew.
“We cook as if we’re cooking for our own families. Not just salt and ‘eat.’ Our mothers and sisters eat from this food too.” — Cook at the pots, on food quality under siege.
“Tanks are pressing from multiple directions; we don’t know what’s next. Even if we’re besieged with nothing to hand out, we’ll still stand with people—at least with a steady word.” — Team lead, during wrap‑up.
Call to action:
INGOs/Humanitarian actors: Use your resources now according to ground realities—even if mandates must change. Bureaucracy kills. Adapt to genocide‑scale conditions.
Regional powers: End complicity in the blockade. Open corridors with unrestricted aid. Back community‑led Palestinian initiatives.
People outside Gaza: Don’t wait. Organize locally with Palestinian‑led groups. Boycott complicit corporations. Flood officials with demands for accountability.
Donate to Sa7ten so support reaches people directly.
