Gaza Herald — As Israel’s latest military campaign seeks to seize Gaza City, displaced Palestinians continue to endure unimaginable hardship. With bombardment growing fiercer and safe areas disappearing, many families fleeing north Gaza have been forced to set up makeshift tents beside a massive garbage dump in western Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.
The site, unfit for human life, poses grave health risks, particularly to children, as it lacks the most basic living conditions. “We had no choice but to come here after repeated displacements,” said Abu Jibril, a displaced father, explaining that overcrowding and lack of shelter left them with no alternative. “This place is not suitable, but we are forced to stay despite the spread of diseases.”
He described children living in fear of constant airstrikes, adding that many are now suffering from skin rashes, infections, and sores caused by proximity to the waste. “There is nowhere else to go,” he said. “With soaring prices and the high cost of renting homes or land, we have no options left.”
Meanwhile, a report from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics on Thursday revealed that 740,000 Palestinians remain in northern Gaza, making up 35% of the Strip’s 2.1 million residents, despite relentless Israeli attacks. The report warned that this figure could quickly drop due to ongoing bombardment and forced displacement.
