As winter approaches, Palestinians in Gaza are desperately trying to prepare their tents and damaged homes while food cuts by the World Food Programme are exacerbating rising levels of hunger.

In Gaza, hunger and siege changed the meanings of bread, rice, khobeiza, and oud. Three years after reaching Cairo, ordinary foods and fragrances still return me to the war.

Palestinians in Gaza accused Israeli occupation forces and traders of creating an "engineered famine" across the strip by only letting in and selling unhealthy products and junk food such as snacks and fizzy drinks, at the expense of the population’s health. "The Israeli army allows in chocolates and cola, but won't…