Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

A Palestinian child sits on top of sacks of flour at a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) aid distribution centre in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on November 3, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Eyad Baba, AFP/File

Article (news)

Gaza

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745078709249Screen Shot 2025-04-20 at 12.04.53 AM.png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A Palestinian child sits on top of sacks of flour at a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) aid distribution centre in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on November 3, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. <em>Eyad Baba, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align:left">KHAN YUNIS, Palestinian Territories — With food scarce in the besieged and war-battered Gaza Strip, some desperate families have turned to eating sea turtles as a rare source of protein.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/17/gaza-rescuers-say-37-people-killed-in-new-israeli-strikes-1944">Gaza rescuers say 37 people killed in new Israeli strikes</a></div><p>Once the shell has been removed, the meat is cut up, boiled and cooked in a mix of onion, pepper, tomato and spices.</p><p>&quot;The children were afraid of the turtle, and we told them it tasted as delicious as veal,&quot; said Majida Qanan, keeping an eye on the chunks of red meat simmering in a pot over a wood fire.</p><p>&quot;Some of them ate it, but others refused.&quot;</p><p>For lack of a better alternative, this is the third time 61-year-old Qanan has prepared a turtle-based meal for her family who were displaced and now live in a tent in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza largest city.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/16/israel-says-no-humanitarian-aid-will-enter-gaza-0121">Israel says no humanitarian aid will enter Gaza</a></div><p>After 18 months of devastating war and an Israeli blockade on aid since March 2, the United Nations has warned of a dire humanitarian situation for the 2.4 million inhabitants of the Palestinian territory.</p><p>Israel has accused Hamas of diverting aid, which the Palestinian militant group denies.</p><p>The heads of 12 major aid organizations warned on Thursday that &quot;famine is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts&quot; of the territory.</p><p>&quot;There are no open crossings and there is nothing in the market,&quot; said Qanan.</p><p>&quot;When I buy two small bags (of vegetables) for 80 shekels ($22), there is no meat,&quot; she added.</p><p>Sea turtles are internationally protected as an endangered species, but those caught in Gaza fishermen&#x27;s nets are used for food.</p><p>Qanan mixes the meat with flour and vinegar to wash it, before rinsing and boiling it in an old metal pot.</p><div><strong>&#x27;NEVER EXPECTED TO EAT A TURTLE&#x27;</strong></div><p>&quot;We never expected to eat a turtle,&quot; fisherman Abdel Halim Qanan said.</p><p>&quot;When the war started, there was a food shortage. There is no food. So (turtle meat) is an alternative for other sources of protein. There is no meat, poultry or vegetables.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/8/un-says-nearly-400-000-displaced-since-end-of-gaza-ceasefire-1458">UN says nearly 400,000 displaced since end of Gaza ceasefire</a></div><p>The UN&#x27;s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has warned that Gaza is facing its most severe humanitarian crisis since the war began on October 7, 2023.</p><p>Fighting has raged in Gaza since then, pausing only twice — recently during a two-month ceasefire between January 19 and March 17, and in a previous one-week halt in late November 2023.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/25/hunger-grips-north-of-war-torn-gaza-amid-ongoing-truce-talks-1909">Hunger grips north of war-torn Gaza amid ongoing truce talks</a></div><p>The World Health Organization&#x27;s regional chief Hanan Balkhy said in June that some Gazans were so desperate that they were eating animal food, grass, and drinking sewage water.</p><p>Hamas on Thursday accused Israel of using &quot;starvation as a weapon&quot; against Gazans by blocking aid supplies.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/11/gaza-rescuers-say-children-among-10-killed-in-israeli-strike-1847">Gaza rescuers say children among 10 killed in Israeli strike</a></div><p>Fisherman Qanan said the turtles were killed in the &quot;halal&quot; method, in accordance with Islamic rites.</p><p>&quot;If there was no famine, we would not eat it and leave it, but we want to compensate for the lack of protein,&quot; he said.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s3KdbaFbCCA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The heads of 12 major aid organizations warned that famine in Gaza "is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts" of the territory.</p>

The heads of 12 major aid organizations warned that famine in Gaza "is not just a risk, but likely rapidly unfolding in almost all parts" of the territory.

Gazans resort to turtle meat in hunt for food

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

BINI

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

World

Gazans resort to turtle meat in hunt for food

Agence France-Presse

Published April 20, 2025 07:38 AM PHT

Read More:

Gaza

Khan Yunis

Palestinian Territories

Palestine

Gaza Strip

famine

turtle

hunger

Israel

conflict

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

Haven't received our newsletter?

Check your inbox to verify and confirm your subscription.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.