Every day, Basel Alaila walks miles through the battered streets of Gaza to collect one or two gallons of water. Salty water, barely drinkable. For a few weeks at the beginning of the year, the 36-year-old Palestinian, father of two boys and a little girl born during the war, believed he was regaining some control over his life. The truce between Israel and Hamas, which took effect on January 19, allowed humanitarian aid to flow in. Fruits, vegetables and poultry reappeared on market stalls, and prices dropped. But since March 2, Israel has stopped everything. Only medical evacuations are still permitted.

The Palestinian territory has never experienced such a lengthy siege. On March 27, the Israeli Supreme Court rejected a petition to force the government to allow aid entry and distribution in Gaza, thereby giving a free hand to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his army to starve the population. "We lack everything – food, water, medical care. We are once again reduced to nothing," wrote Basel Alaila to Le Monde. Israel has banned foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip since October 7. Its army brutally resumed bombings on March 18, breaking the truce. In two weeks, more than 1,200 Palestinians have been killed.

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