Images showed the dolphin in the hands of a local man, with reports confirming it became a meal for his family.
Social media reactions were mixed, with some expressing sympathy for the residents’ hardships. "Bon appétit, Gazans are allowed anything under these conditions. There's no room for animal rights where survival is at stake," one post read. Others blamed Israel for the dire food shortages in Gaza.
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Since the start of the war, instances of residents consuming horses and donkeys have also been reported.
Due to restrictions on fishing during the war, it is likely the dolphin's carcass drifted ashore. Israel's Nature and Parks Authority explained that striped dolphins, typically found in deep waters, are highly sensitive and rarely seen near the region. Sick or weakened individuals may sometimes wash up, but their survival chances are slim.
The Mediterranean population of striped dolphins is estimated at over 100,000 individuals, though sightings near Israel’s coastline have been exceedingly rare, with only a handful recorded since 1994.