Sugar Rs 5,000, Oil Rs 4,000: Gazans Blame Israel, They Say It's Hamas
On the morning of Eid al-Adha, prayers across the Gaza Strip were conducted not in mosques, but in the rubble of what used to be homes, schools, and religious institutions. A ceasefire is not in sight, and neither is a meal. The traditions that usually mark this holiday, sacrificial meat, communal feasts, and gifts for children, are unrecognisable now. Instead, a singular item dominates conversations: food, or the lack of it.
A recent viral post from Gaza featuring the biscuit, Parle-G, claimed that they are being sold at over 24 euros, which is approximately Rs 2,400. Like the biscuits, most goods sold in Gaza's markets have become unaffordable to nearly everyone.
A list obtained by NDTV from inside Gaza documents the going rates for basic staples. Converted into Indian rupees (1 new Israeli shekel = Rs 24.57), it reads like this:
1 litre of cooking oil: 170 shekel (approx. Rs 4,177)
1 kilogram of sugar: 200 shekel (approx. Rs 4,914)
1 kilogram of milk powder: 35 shekel (approx. Rs 860)
1 kilogram of flour: 60 shekel (approx. Rs 1,474)
1 kilogram of salt: 20 shekel (approx. Rs 491)
1 kilogram of okra: 45 shekel (approx. Rs 1,106)
1 kilogram of duck meat: 30 shekel (approx. Rs 737)
1 kilogram of tomatoes: 45 shekel (approx. Rs 1,106)
1 kilogram of onions: 180 shekel (approx. Rs 4,423)
1 kilogram of potatoes: 80 shekel (approx. Rs 1,966)
1 kilogram of brinjal: 35 shekel (approx. Rs 860)
1 kilogram of lemon: 60 shekel (approx. Rs 1,474)
1 kilogram of lentils: 35 shekel (approx. Rs 860)
1 cup of coffee: 180 shekel (approx. Rs 4,423)
1 box of goat meat: 200 shekel (approx. Rs 4,914)
Prices like these are unthinkable in a territory where virtually no one has an income.
Israel Say It's Hamas
Israel insists Hamas is hijacking aid. Speaking exclusively with NDTV, Israeli embassy spokesperson Guy Nir said, "There are masked gunmen who are Hamas, who are shooting at the Gazans because Hamas doesn't want this operation to succeed. The thing is, for the first year and a half, most of the aid trucks that went into Gaza were looted. Hamas looted about 80 per cent of all trucks."
According to Mr Nir, Hamas is selling the contents to civilians at inflated prices. This system, he claims, allowed Hamas to exert economic and political control over the population.
In northern Gaza, Israel issued a warning on Friday that it would launch "intensive operations" in areas from which rockets had reportedly been fired. The military said four of its soldiers died earlier in Khan Younis when explosives collapsed a Hamas compound. Five others were injured.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) now projects that by September, nearly 500,000 people in Gaza will be experiencing "catastrophic food insecurity", the highest level of hunger categorisation before famine.
"The amount of humanitarian aid that came into Gaza during the first year and a half was astronomical," Mr Nir said. "We delivered over 3,500 calories per person per day. If everybody ate everything we brought in, they would be fat.
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The Hindu
8 minutes ago
- The Hindu
The dark side of flying: fear of grounding deters pilots from seeking help for mental health concerns
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The last message he had exchanged with the First Officer on the AI flight, Clive Kundar, the social media feed and the relentless television coverage 'weighed a little heavy on me,' he said. He and a few friends 'cried it out' as an exercise in collective purging to cope with the tragedy that had struck their close colleagues. In the days following the crash, many First Officers and cabin crew would report sick as they battled post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Heightened safety concerns prompted many passengers too to cancel their Air India bookings.. This along with a combination of other factors that included additional checks ordered by the DGCA forced Air India to take a 'safety pause' and reduce international flights by 15% for a few weeks. The airline also reached out to pilots and cabin crew offering them peer support, as well as an in-house psychologist in case of mental health concerns. The trauma among the crew post the crash and suggestions of deliberate pilot action resulting in a crash have once again brought under focus the mental health of Indian pilots who are known to be under tremendous stress because of a multitude of factors which include occupational challenges as well as systemic failures that excessively penalise the cockpit crew. But one of the dark secrets of the industry remains the reluctance among pilots to access medical help for mental health concerns because of a perception that they may either be grounded leading to loss of pay, or their licence will be cancelled. 'Some airlines provide pilots with relatively stable rosters, but in many others, unpredictable schedules and inadequate notice of changes disrupt personal routines, making it difficult to plan family or social time,' says Captain Subhashish Majumdar, a former airline executive and senior commander with long-haul international flying experience. 'In many organisations even casual leave requires prior sanction or has to be justified with documentary evidence , and calling in sick at the last moment can lead to administrative scrutiny. Additionally, time-zone changes, graveyard shifts and night flying can leave a pilot's body clock out of sync for days.' Majumdar acknowledges that he personally benefited from a stable schedule during much of his career. But many others -- especially those flying high-frequency domestic sectors across the industry -- face relentless rosters and consecutive layovers that leave little room for rest or meaningful family engagement. 'Pilots across airlines speak of strained relationships, missed birthdays and school events, and the emotional fatigue of being physically present but emotionally distant.' Over time, the cumulative toll of such schedules can strain personal bonds and foster a sense of isolation. Within aviation circles, this phenomenon is informally referred to as Aviation-Induced Divorce Syndrome. Another challenge is the growing reliance on digital crew management systems. While efficient for record-keeping and cost control, these often lack the human touch. 'Raising tickets on apps or sending emails that go unanswered only increases frustration,' Majumdar explains. 'There's a big difference between being able to lift the phone and speak to someone empathetic, versus dealing with a faceless interface that offers no timely resolution. The absence of human engagement adds to the anxiety.' He acknowledges, however, the pressure airline managements face. 'This is a cost-sensitive industry, with wafer-thin margins, volatile input costs, and fierce competition. Managements walk a tightrope between viability and crew welfare. 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The FAA clarified that mental health issues rarely disqualify pilots (0.1% rejection rate), listing conditions like psychosis and bipolar disorder that do. The FAA's 2016 Pilot Fitness Aviation Rulemaking Committee recommended peer support, enhanced training for medical examiners, approved new medications that can be taken during active flying, and public campaigns to reduce mental health stigma, alongside maintaining a safe medication list for pilots. MESAFE, an EASA-funded project under the EU's Horizon Europe, recognises pilots' reluctance to self-report mental health issues due to systemic shortcomings. It advocates Peer Support Programs that extend beyond medical interventions, and foster a mental well-being culture within a just-culture work environment. The project emphasises reporting and mitigating organisational stressors impacting the mental health of safety-critical aviation personnel. ( Mental health helplines across the country can be accessed here)
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Rainfall triggers serpent infiltration, 85 rescued so far this month
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News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Same Flight But Different Meals? Man Exposes Class Divide Onboard Dubai Flight
Last Updated: After the flight took off, the woman fell asleep, only to be woken by the sound of 'Chicken or beef?' as the cabin crew began serving a simple meal basket. Sometimes, even a small moment can remain with you for a longer period of time and that's exactly what happened to a Doha-based makeup artist on a short flight from Dubai. In a post on Thread, the woman recounted her in-flight experience to highlight the quiet injustices faced by migrant labourers, reflecting on the need for greater empathy. According to the woman, she had a window seat and the middle was empty, whereas on the aisle seat sat an Indian man, likely a labourer. After the flight took off, the woman fell asleep, only to be woken by the sound of 'Chicken or beef?" as the cabin crew began serving a simple meal basket — sandwich, a chocolate bar and water. While she was handed the meal, the man beside her was offered only a sealed plastic cup of water without any explanation. 'When they reached our row, they handed me the meal basket. The man next to me looked up, quietly waiting for his," she wrote, adding, 'One of the flight attendants simply shook his head and said: 'Ah, no,' handed him a sealed plastic cup of water, and moved on. That's it." The man looked up with an expectation. Then back down, silently. 'His eyes were full of something I can't forget," the woman recounted. The man didn't protest and simply accepted what happened with him followed by a quiet struggle to open his water cup. Turning to the woman, he asked for help and then reached into his bag to pull out a single mango and a few grapes. Kind hearted, he also offered the woman the fruits he had. 'I thanked him but didn't take them, maybe that was all he had to eat later," the woman wrote. The woman concluded her post with a heartfelt reminder, 'We have to do better. We must be kinder. Next time you see a labour worker outside in the heat, offer a bottle of water, a snack, or even just kindness." Addressing the airline, she added, 'Offering a small sandwich and a KitKat to every passenger wouldn't hurt your budget, but it could mean the world to someone who needs it most." The post has struck a deep chord across social media, with many expressing disappointment and reflecting on the need for empathy towards migrant labourers. One person wrote, 'Very sad. Yes, definitely the UAE government must take care of these people more and give this kind of stuff for free, it doesn't cost anything at all." top videos View all Someone else lauded the man's silent kindness saying, 'What a beautiful gesture. When they know, you know. Wishing him a wonderful life." The incident is an emotional reminder of the everyday inequalities many tend to overlook. view comments Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: July 25, 2025, 07:00 IST News viral Same Flight But Different Meals? Man Exposes Class Divide Onboard Dubai Flight Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
