Award-Winning Chef Goes On Hunger Strike In Support Of Gaza
On March 18, Israel resumed airstrikes in Gaza, effectively ending a temporary ceasefire with Hamas. Shortly thereafter, reports indicated that Israel also reinstated a blockade restricting the flow of humanitarian aid, including food, into Gaza. International organizations and human rights groups have raised alarms about the worsening humanitarian crisis, warning that the lack of access to basic necessities may lead to widespread famine among civilians.
According to CNN, 1 in 5 people in Gaza — which has an estimated population of 2.1 million — currently face starvation.
American plant-based chef and cookbook author Max La Manna is drawing attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by going on a hunger strike. His protest aims to spotlight the growing concerns over food insecurity in the region, as international groups warn of a potential famine amid ongoing restrictions on aid.
In a video shared on his Instagram, he says that Gaza has not received food in two months and instructs people to follow Hamada Shaqoura, the Gazan food blogger we interviewed in 2024, who transforms aid packages into meals, and offers these actionable steps:
1. Write to your MP/representative and demand an end to the blockade
2. Tap the link in his bio to donate to @ele_elna_elak who are working to get food into the region
3. Download the Boycat app and check out @bds.movement
4. Tell your local supermarket to remove Israeli products from their shelves
La Manna didn’t reveal how long he would go on his hunger strike, but he is now three days into it as of this writing. “This is not just a war crime, it’s a human rights violation,” he says in his latest Instagram post, which offers additional actionable steps.
1. Call your local supermarket and demand that they remove all Israeli food products from their shelves
2. Comment under their social media posts asking them to remove Israeli products.
To support La Manna’s brave protest, follow his Instagram for updates.
