AS the Israeli occupation army intensifies its acts of extermination and ethnic cleansing in the northern Gaza Strip, waves of displacement continue towards Gaza City, where the displaced live in dire humanitarian conditions within temporary shelters.
New camps have emerged in public squares, clubs, and playgrounds in Gaza City to accommodate those fleeing from the north of the Strip, housing hundreds of families forced to evacuate under the threat of bombardment and death.
In these makeshift camps, residents face severe shortages of food and water supplies, compounded by harsh cold weather that exacerbates their suffering.
Despite grassroots and charitable initiatives attempting to provide some basic necessities, the limited resources are insufficient to meet daily needs.
Prior to the Israeli military aggression on the northern Gaza Strip that began on October 5, approximately 200,000 Palestinians were living in the area.
However, forced displacement has led to the evacuation of around 130,000 people, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
The displaced individuals moved to Gaza City, primarily to the western and central areas, after refusing to relocate to the southern part of the Strip as requested by the Israeli army.
Under the policy of a complete siege on the area, the occupation army has prevented more than 8,000 trucks of aid and goods from entering, according to a statement by Gaza’s Government Media Office (GMO).
UN officials confirm that the occupation army repeatedly rejects requests to allow aid into the area, which the Gaza government declared a disaster zone on November 5th.
Throughout the days of the genocide preceding the military operation in the northern governorate about two months ago, the residents of Gaza City were unaccustomed to seeing these camp gatherings.
Those who were displaced or whose homes were destroyed would typically seek refuge in the homes of relatives and friends, or in displacement centres such as schools and health centres.
However, as the number of displaced people from the north increased significantly, there was no longer enough space in homes or centres, forcing the displaced to reside in tents that offer no protection from nearby Israeli airstrikes, or the winter cold.
On October 5, the occupation army swept through northern Gaza. Palestinians claim that the occupation army aims to occupy the area and turn it into a buffer zone after forcibly displacing its residents amid bloody bombardment and the blockade of food, water, and medicine.
Consequently, tens of thousands of Palestinians from northern Gaza were forcibly displaced towards Gaza City, where most settled in tents and shelters.
In a new camp set up in the middle of the al-Shati refugee camp west of Gaza, the Rushdi Ghabin family was displaced from Beit Lahiya a month ago.
He notes that his family consists of 13 members and that they have no acquaintances or relatives in Gaza City, forcing him to look for a tent to live in after spending two nights on the street.
Ghabin described life in the camp: ‘The situation in the tents is very difficult, especially at night when the cold intensifies … but it’s still better than the street and the open air.’
He added: ‘Many displaced people from Beit Lahiya resorted to tents because they had no alternative and stayed there hoping to return soon to their homes and belongings.’
He pointed out that they would not have wanted to ‘leave Beit Lahiya if it weren’t for the fact that the Israeli army forcibly expelled everyone’.
He concluded: ‘We were content to live with hunger and thirst in our homes in our town rather than go to the tents, but unfortunately, in the end, we had to leave to save our lives.’
Dozens of families displaced from northern Gaza are living in another camp, set up in the Nasser neighbourhood, west of Gaza City.
Yahya Zaqout, one of the residents of the camp with his family, said: ‘Today, there is no place to shelter the displaced except the camps in Gaza City because the houses and schools no longer have space.’
He continued: ‘All the streets and public squares in Gaza City have turned into camps for the displaced … there is no alternative for the people,’ describing life in the tents as ‘difficult, bitter, and filled with hardships day and night’.
Zaqout pointed out that they ‘refused to leave northern Gaza and head south at the start of the war to avoid life in tents and displacement’.
He added: ‘After enduring for more than 14 months, we were forced by the occupation into this life filled with humiliation and degradation, lacking even the most basic elements of human life.
‘Every resident in the tents suffers from an internal pain and suffering that cannot be described because every detail of life is exhausting, especially with the severe cold at night that is consuming our bodies.
‘We wish that the invasion of northern Gaza ends soon, that the Israeli raids and targeting stop, and that we can return to our towns and neighbourhoods safely.’
Reem, a young woman displaced from northern Gaza, recounted her suffering, having been forcibly displaced with her family under intense Israeli bombardment and the siege imposed by the occupation forces.
She said that the journey of displacement was fraught with danger, especially for the elderly and children who suffered from hunger, dehydration, and thirst.
She added that reaching the west of Gaza City came after facing harsh weather conditions, including heavy rains and strong winds.
‘We sought refuge in Gaza City without any shelter to protect our families; we suffer from lack of clothing and food, and we live in extremely harsh conditions, with no one showing us compassion or mercy.’
Despite the suffering, the young Palestinian expressed her hope: ‘I hope the war ends soon and I can return to my home in Beit Lahia.’
Mohammed Abu Ayash, another displaced Palestinian, spoke about his ordeal: ‘We fled from northern Gaza after the occupation forces bombed a school where we had taken shelter for 20 days.’
He added: ‘The bombing injured more than 40 people, including children and women.’
He continued: ‘We had to flee when the bombing happened and headed to the west of Gaza City.
‘I suffered during the displacement due to the lack of transportation, and I had to carry my disabled child the entire way amid harsh conditions and ongoing targeting.’
He pointed out that conditions in the displacement camps are tragic, lacking even the most basic necessities of life like water, food, and bedding.
Abeer Al-Rabee, a displaced person from Beit Lahia, shared her experience, saying: ‘We were displaced under bombing and destruction; we lived the hardest days of our lives, with bombardment from all sides, and our homes were completely destroyed.’
She added: ‘At first, we sought refuge in schools, but the Israeli forces surrounded us with aircraft, forcing us to flee with thousands of residents.’
Al-Rabee pointed to the deterioration of her situation, saying: ‘We could only carry a few belongings with us; now, we suffer from various diseases due to the poor conditions.’
She continued: ‘There are no tents here, no food, no drinking water, and not even bedding to sleep on. My child was attacked by a dog, and there are insects everywhere.’
The occupation army did not allow the displaced to carry their belongings during the displacement, making life in the tents and shelters extremely difficult and lacking the most basic elements of human living.
According to the GMO, the number of displaced persons in the Strip since the start of the Israeli genocide has reached two million out of a total of 2.3 million Palestinians.
With US support, the Israeli occupation has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in more than 151,000 Palestinian martyrs and injured, most of whom are children and women, along with over 11,000 missing persons, amid massive destruction and famine that has killed dozens of children and the elderly, making it one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world.
