DaysofPal- The humanitarian situation in Gaza’s south is worsening by the day as thousands of Palestinians continue to flee heavy Israeli bombardments in the north and the Israeli massacres there that left hundreds of civilians killed and hundreds of thousands displaced, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Olga Cherevko, OCHA’s spokesperson in Gaza, described the conditions in Deir el-Balah and surrounding areas as “desperate,” with the influx of displaced families overwhelming already overcrowded shelters and informal camps.
“Tens of thousands are being forcibly displaced as the Israeli military intensifies attacks on Gaza City and northern governorates,” Cherevko said.
“Many arrive in the south only to find there is no space left. Some families, with nowhere to go, are being forced to return to the north despite the ongoing strikes.” Cherevko added.
She noted that overcrowding has reached critical levels, noting that “The conditions here were already extremely overcrowded. If you look at the sea, the tents go all the way to the waterline, and every time the tide rises, the water swallows more tents.”
Healthcare and basic services are collapsing under the pressure.
Hospitals in the South are operating far beyond capacity, with some at nearly 300 percent, as patients are treated on floors, corridors, and makeshift extensions.
Shortages of essential medicines, fuel for generators, and medical supplies are leaving doctors unable to perform lifesaving procedures.
While Cherevko acknowledged a slight increase in the number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza in recent weeks, she stressed that the flow remains vastly insufficient to meet urgent needs.
Aid delivery is further hampered by ongoing insecurity, damaged infrastructure, and Israeli restrictions.
“Even when aid makes it into Gaza, we are unable to deliver it safely and adequately to those in desperate need,” she said.
Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly warned of catastrophic risks, including famine, outbreaks of disease due to contaminated water and poor sanitation, and a further collapse of Gaza’s already shattered healthcare system.
The situation underscores the scale of forced displacement since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023.
The majority of the enclave’s 2.3 million population has now been displaced, many multiple times, with families crammed into tents, unfinished buildings, and makeshift shelters with little protection from the elements.
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