In the Midst of Famine

In the Midst of Famine

Nurturing My Family Through War and Famine in Gaza: Healthy Palestinian Recipes for a Balanced Life

I never imagined that feeding my family would one day become one of the hardest things I had to think about.

As a father in Gaza, during war and famine, I found myself thinking about food in a very different way. Not only about what we could eat, but about what I could find, what was available, how to make the most of what we had, and how to give my family meals that were still nourishing and balanced.

When food became scarce and our choices became limited, I tried to hold on to something simple: my responsibility as a father to care for my family.

Cooking became more than preparing a meal. It became one of the small ways I could continue to care for the people I love, to give them comfort, and to create a sense of normal life in circumstances that were anything but normal.

This book grew from that experience.

In these pages, I share a part of my journey as a father caring for my family through war, famine, and food scarcity in Gaza. Alongside my story, I share 25 healthy Palestinian recipes, prepared with the hope of making nourishing and balanced meals possible even when resources are limited.

Each recipe includes estimated calorie information and practical details to help you understand and prepare the meal in your own kitchen.

But this is not only a recipe book.

It is a book about family, food, fatherhood, resilience, and love — and about the small things we do to take care of the people who matter most when life becomes incredibly difficult.

I hope that as you read these pages and prepare these recipes, you will see more than ingredients and calorie numbers.

I hope you will feel something of the care and love behind them.

Inside the book

• My personal story

A father’s experience of caring for his family during war and famine in Gaza.

• 25 healthy Palestinian recipes

Nourishing and balanced meals rooted in Palestinian food and adapted to difficult circumstances.

• Calorie information

Estimated calories for each recipe to help you understand and balance your meals.

• Practical ideas

Simple ways of making the most of available ingredients and limited resources.

Thank you for being here.

Whether you came to this book because you love Palestinian food, are interested in healthy eating, want to understand a little more about life in Gaza, or simply want to read one family’s story — thank you.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

And thank you for helping it travel beyond the place where it began.

In the Midst of Famine

A father’s story of food, family, resilience, and love.