The U.N. says all of Gaza's 2.2 million people are in -- quote -- "food crisis."

And the U.N. says one-quarter of Gaza is one step away from famine.

So, as the holy month of Ramadan begins, there is simply not enough food to go around.

There is fasting and there is starving.

Many Gazans say they are now doing both.

At this soup kitchen in Northern Gaza, families struggle for a small pot of soup.

Before Ramadan, this was most of these Gazans' only meal, sustenance to stop starvation.

During Ramadan, it is the meal that breaks their fast, cauldrons to feed a community.

Mahmoud Almadhoun is the soup kitchen organizer and head chef.

His team filmed this for us.

We spoke to him on a patchy phone connection.

MAHMOUD ALMADHOUN, Soup Kitchen Organizer (through translator): All day, people are waiting for us at the kitchen door.

They can survive because of kitchens like these.

They would starve without it.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Ramadan is about charity and family, and the Almadhouns try to be generous together.

Three generations prepare the food; 72-year-old Fatima starts her prep at dawn.

FATIMA ALMADHOUN, Volunteer (through translator): I get extremely tired, but I feel happy to see young children eat.

It helps me sleep better at night.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Mahmoud's 11-year-old daughter, also Fatima, with her sister tugging at her shirt, has no school to attend, so she does the stirring.

FATIMA ALMADHOUN, Volunteer (through translator): I miss my friends in school and studying.

I miss my home.

I hope we can go back to the way it was before.

My dreams are for the war to end and to become a teacher, and that we're safe.

NICK SCHIFRIN: But those dreams are deferred.

This Ramadan is defined by displacement and deprivation.

Most Gazans have fled their homes, and the U.N. warns Gaza is approaching famine.

MAHMOUD ALMADHOUN (through translator): People are stealing from each other so they don't starve to death.

There are many kids who have been orphaned who come to me asking for food.

HANI ALMADHOUN, Director of Philanthropy, UNRWA USA: The starvation is real.

The manmade famine is real, and we know families that are hurting.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Hani Almadhoun is Mahmoud's brother and based in the U.S. HANI ALMADHOUN: A lot of people failed the Palestinians, but the land did not, because they could still find some potatoes.

People could not go pick it, and it just kept growing and growing, and he'd be cooking whatever he can find.

Is it enough?

No, but it's good for our neighborhood and friends.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The Almadhouns launched the kitchen in January for a few hundred locals with two big pots and seasonal vegetables.

On the first day of Ramadan, they serve sizzling soup with a little lamb to thousands.

HANI ALMADHOUN: Four out of the five hungriest kids in the world are in Gaza right now.

Five percent of the people of Gaza are either killed, injured or missing.

So think about that.

In my family, our table will have six less people this time.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Hani and Mahmoud's brother, Majid Almadhoun, in the center, as well as his wife and four kids, were killed when their family home was bombed.

HANI ALMADHOUN: I feel sad for the loss of my brother.

He's my -- really my buddy and my sidekick, and he's not here anymore.

We say we're resilient people, but that's gone beyond any level of resilience.

NICK SCHIFRIN: International humanitarian groups say the soup kitchen is only necessary because Israel isn't allowing enough aid into Gaza.

Israel says it does not block aid and blames the shortfall on the lack of U.N. capacity.

Last night, Israel opened a new truck route for the U.N. directly into Northern Gaza, spokeswoman Tal Heinrich said today.

TAL HEINRICH, Spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister: This was a pilot to prevent Hamas from taking over the aid, as they often do.

There is no limit to the amount of aid that can be delivered into Gaza.

NICK SCHIFRIN: The U.S. will continue dropping aid by air, and the first aid ship is sailing to Gaza, ahead of next month's plan for U.S. soldiers to build a pier off Gaza's coast.

But Israel must do more, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today.

ANTONY BLINKEN: There's movement, and it's positive, but it remains insufficient.

Israel still needs to open as many access points as possible and keep them open.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Traditionally, the aid is distributed by the U.N.

Relief and Works Agency.

HANI ALMADHOUN: is the director of philanthropy at UNRWA's independent American arm.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Israel, of course, accuses multiple members of UNRWA of participating in the October 7 terrorist attack and accuses UNRWA of effectively being intertwined with Hamas.

Do you believe that's true?

HANI ALMADHOUN: On behalf of myself, and me in my personal capacity, I'm horrified by what I read in the news about those allegations.

And I don't know.

I want to repeat that feeding 100 child should never be a political statement.

NICK SCHIFRIN: In December, Israeli forces detained Gazans whom they accused of being members of Hamas.

Among them was Mahmoud Almadhoun.

MAHMOUD ALMADHOUN (through translator): They humiliated us, stripped us, and took us over to the coast.

We were on the sand all day in the cold.

I thought to myself, we're not leaving here.

We're going to die.

When you think you're going to die and you don't, you want to start serving and helping others.

It's like a new lease on life.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And the Gaza soup kitchen was born.

So, for the Almadhouns, this Ramadan is about charity amid catastrophe.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Nick Schifrin.