The advance of army forces and tanks into Khan Yunis and the intensification of the attacks and fighting pushed more and more Palestinian residents to leave their homes and move south to Rafah. Many families arrived at the tent camps in Rafah, but not all of them managed to find an orderly place to live. Some residents sought makeshift shelter in the streets, while others positioned themselves on the side of the road or near existing encampments.
The poor living conditions resulting from the state of war imposed by Hamas are causing an increase in morbidity, and according to testimonies of Gaza residents, the severe sanitary situation increases the outbreak and spread of diseases. "The situation here now is a catastrophe," a resident who has been in Rafah for a month and a half told Israel Hayom. He left his home in Gaza City at the beginning of the war and moved there with his family. "I see people with skin diseases because of the dirt and filth. There are diseases of stomach and intestinal infections and diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration," he says. According to estimates in Gaza, tens of thousands of children have been infected with intestinal and lung diseases.
Gazans moving from the northern Gaza Strip to the south, photo: uncredited
Another resident says that several hundred people among the displaced have already contracted viral hepatitis (hepatitis). "What has happened in the past week is that there are people who have developed various types of diseases, including infectious diseases. There are those with pneumonia who may die because there are no conditions to treat them, neither in terms of equipment and medicines, nor in other respects. One of the diseases that is spreading now is viral inflammation in the liver and people are already getting sick with it and it's very dangerous," he says. "The immune system can't handle it. Even those who do not want to get infected cannot prevent it because people live inside each other, there is no cleaning and no personal hygiene. The cholera is on the way. I don't know how you can hold on like that. It's hard to find potable water and the ones we already supply run out of quickly."
In Gaza, they say that the health system is on the verge of collapse, and that due to the shortage of diesel, equipment and medical staff, it will be very difficult to cope with communicable diseases and diseases that are already beginning to spread among the population.
Palestinians and international aid organizations estimate that more than one million people are now concentrated in the southern area of Rafah. According to testimonies, residents suffer not only from a lack of clean water but also from a lack of food. "There is no water to drink, and no food in the quantities that a person needs, there are people and children who are hungry now in Gaza. What do they get? Some tuna, cheese, UNRWA gave them wheat, and that was it."
The new refugee camp in southern Gaza, photo: Reuters
On the recent occasions when trucks carrying aid entered Gaza through Rafah Crossing or basic goods were distributed by UN agencies, civilian chaos has been seen in the streets. Palestinian residents were documented pens on the goods. The attack on basic consumer goods reflects an existing food shortage and fear of future shortages. "People are trying to store food and consume less food today so they can have it tomorrow," they say in Gaza.
It is also reported in the Gaza Strip that in some cases, among the looters were Hamas operatives, policemen and officials of the organization. "Everyone wanted to steal food for themselves and their families. Hamas members haven't received a salary for two months since the war began."
Young Gazans in front of the tourism company, photo: uncredited
"Some people don't shower for weeks. There are places where there are a few single toilets for several thousand people. They eat outside in the sand and dust when sewage flows, and babies breathe smoke all day. If we don't die from the attacks, we will die of hunger and disease. We left home with summer clothes. Now the children have no clothes for winter and cold, there are no blankets either. Where will we bring from and where will we buy? People live outside in flooded tents under the rain, mattresses, coats and a lot of things are missing," said another resident.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us