Matzah and chocolate: Soldiers in Gaza suffer severe shortage of kosher food for Passover
For days now, troops in Gaza have had no proper holiday meals causing outrage among families and renewed calls for better logistical planning.
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According to testimonies received in recent hours, Golani Battalion soldiers operating in the Gaza Strip are forced to make do with matzah with chocolate as their main course, even after long hours of strenuous operational activity.
The soldiers did not receive a single hot portion of meat during the days of Chol Hamoed, except on the Seder night, according to Galei Tsahal (Army Radio): "The last time they received hot trays was a week ago, on the Seder night. Since then – only battle rations. After a year and a half of continuous fighting in a number of sectors, it's just coming out of their ears."
Due to the shortage, parents of soldiers have launched private initiatives to collect donations for the purchase of kosher food packages for Passover, which include fresh vegetables and fruits. Some of them even purchase gas canisters and transfer them to the Tze'elim base, in the hope that they will later be transferred to their soldiers inside the Gaza Strip.
Nir Dvori, a military correspondent for Channel 12 News, also addressed the serious phenomenon: "I don't remember such a Passover, and there have been problems in the past. Bases and outposts in the south, the north, Samaria and the Jordan Valley – all of them have serious problems of food shortages due to Passover. It's just terrible. It's as if nothing has been learned."