What hunger sounds like

An audio story about the noise hunger makes in Gaza and the silence around it.

In Gaza, we don’t say we are hungry, because we know there is no food.

We say the bread line starts at dawn. We say the children sleep through meals because there’s nothing left to give. And when we still have words to speak, we use them sparingly, like our food, because we know the rest of the world isn’t always listening.

I have a new radio story out on This American Life on what it means to survive Gaza’s starvation. I report on the severe food shortages, the collapse of aid, and the daily math of survival, featuring my own experience living through hunger and reporting while diagnosed with acute malnutrition.

The story also centers the voice of a young woman in northern Gaza who speaks with startling clarity about how she manages to ration what little they might have. She tells me how she distracts her body, how she silences the growling in her stomach, and how she stays alive.

You can listen to the segment directly on YouTube here (starting minute 38:00):

▶️ ‘Week Eleven’: This American Life

This was not an easy story to tell. But it felt necessary. Hunger is one of the most intimate violations of war, and one of the most invisible. I hope this story brings it closer, in sound, in truth, and in witness.

Telling these stories takes time, care, and a lot of unseen labor. If my work matters to you, I hope you’ll consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your support makes it possible for me to keep reporting.

Thank you for listening, and for your support!