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In war-torn Gaza where daily survival is a struggle, one man is bringing people a taste of joy – one slice of pizza at a time.
Mohammed Al Amarin, 28, was inspired to introduce the concept of mobile kitchens to Gaza during a two-month visit to Italy two years ago, where he learnt to make pizza and developed a passion for pepperoni topping. He has spent the past four months preparing, overcoming immense challenges created by the war, before finally making his dream a reality.
“This is the first time a mobile kitchen has been introduced in Gaza,” Mr Al Amarin told The National.
“At first, I faced a lot of obstacles – finding the right materials to build the cart, securing iron and wood, and dealing with high prices. At one point, I even considered abandoning the project, but then I realised how much displaced people in tents and those far from markets needed it.”
Families in Gaza have suffered from food scarcity and rising costs throughout 15 months of Israel's siege and devastating military offensive against Hamas. Although a ceasefire has halted the relentless bombardment and ground fighting since January 19, Gazans face a massive challenge to rebuild their homes and their lives. The pizza kitchen gives them not just a warm meal but also a taste of hope in a time of despair.
Mr Al Amarin, a resident of Gaza city, launched his mobile pizza kitchen in the southern city of Rafah. The area has been devastated by the war, with homes replaced by tents and the streets filled with rubble. Navigating Rafah with his car-drawn trailer is difficult, but Mr Al Amarin is encouraged by the joy with which he is received.
“People were incredibly happy with the idea and kept asking me to return because they have no way to travel to Khan Younis just to buy food,” he says, referring to the city just north of Rafah. “Children especially loved the project, waiting eagerly for me to arrive every day.”
Mr Al Amarin has a crew of four to help him transport the mobile kitchen and serve up simple vegetarian pizzas from the trailer's wood-fired oven. The pizzas are given out free under an arrangement with local charities.
“I love the idea that the restaurant comes to us instead of us having to go to it,” says Mohammed Abu Al Aoun, 24, whose family lives in a tent in the Al Mawasi area of Khan Younis. He was waiting eagerly for the mobile kitchen so he could take pizza home to his children.
“My kids keep asking for pizza, but buying one costs around 15 shekels [$4.20], which is simply unaffordable for us right now,” Mr Abu Al Aoun told The National. “When I heard there was a kitchen moving around, my children were so excited and waited every day for it to arrive.”
Hamza, 12, was among the first to queue up in front of the mobile kitchen when it arrived in Al Mawasi, eager to collect his free slice.
“I’m happy that I can finally eat pizza,” he says. “We waited many days for the kitchen to come, but because of the rain, it couldn’t make it. When it finally arrived, we all gathered quickly so we wouldn’t miss out.”
Like many other displaced Gazans, Hamza’s family relies on daily food distributed by Tikkia, a communal initiative that primarily provides rice and macaroni. The pizza kitchen offers a rare change in diet.
“I want this project to grow. I dream of a mobile kitchen in every part of Gaza, so no child has to wait too long to enjoy something as simple as pizza,” Mr Al Amarin says. “Seeing the smiles on the children's faces assured me that it was truly worth it.”
