Gaza : “Then, all of a sudden, they have to start all over again”

The human toll from the war in the Gaza strip keeps mounting as Israël continues its military operations. Pushed to their limits, over a million people have fled the south, occupied by the Israeli army, towards the governorates of Khan Younès and Deir el-Balah. Philippe Bonnet, Director of Emergencies for SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL, whose teams have been on the ground since March, describes the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe. 

Since October 7, 2023, and the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, almost 38,000 Gazans have lost their lives and 86,000 have been wounded. Most of them women and children. More than 1.9 million people, 80% of the Gaza Strip’s inhabitants, are now forcibly displaced1. From the north to the south, then from the south to the center, they have been forced to flee at the whim of Israeli evacuation orders. “Their lives have collapsed, their loved ones have been killed, they no longer have jobs, no longer have sources of income, and every time one think it’s going to stop, that we’ve reached a peak, it keeps going, and the situation deteriorates even further,” deplores Philippe Bonnet, Director of Emergencies for SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL. 

The teams of our NGO have been working in Deir el-Balah since March. Shortly after the offensive on Rafah in early May, they witnessed the displacement of over a million people towards Khan Younès and Deir el-Balah². Most of these people had already moved from the north of the enclave to escape the Israeli army’s bombardments and evacuation orders. “Every time they are displaced, people have to find somewhere to shelter, spend their savings on a tarpaulin or something to shelter under. Then, they slowly start to find their bearings, to know where the health center is, where the nearest water point is, to find, perhaps, a job. Then, all of a sudden, they have to move and start all over again,” explains Philippe Bonnet. 

Every time they are displaced, people have to find somewhere to shelter (…). Then, they slowly start to find their bearings, (…) perhaps, a job. Then, all of a sudden, they have to move and start all over again. 

Philippe Bonnet 

International humanitarian law protects civilians wherever they may be. Belligerents have a duty not only not to target them, but also to use means that avoid collateral damage. However, in the so-called “humanitarian zone”, which the Israeli army has encouraged civilians to flee to, the reality is quite different. Extended to Deir el-Balah after the launch of the attack on Rafah on May 7, this zone has continued to bear the brunt of the offensives. Al-Aqsa hospital, the last functioning public health infrastructure in the enclave, is not large enough to cope with the vital emergencies that flood in every day, especially as it suffers from power cuts and fuel shortages. With most of the infrastructure damaged or destroyed, the needs are immense and the threat to the lives of Palestinians constant. 

People arrived from Rafah, they settled on the first available sites they found (…). They’re living next to a rubbish dump because the waste storage sites are no longer accessible, they’re in a war zone. 

Philippe Bonnet 

“People arrived from Rafah, they settled on the first available sites they found, like El Berka. They’re living next to a rubbish dump because the waste storage sites are no longer accessible, they’re in a war zone. The latrines can no longer be emptied and are overflowing. Hygiene conditions are inhuman,” describes Philippe Bonnet. On the Chalet site, our teams recently distributed 700 hygiene kits containing soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, detergent, disinfectant, toilet paper… and other essential everyday products, which are sorely lacking in the enclave. Each kit should meet the needs of a family of five for one month.   

“Displaced people are not used to living in these conditions. Living without water or electricity requires a great deal of adaptation and special precautions,” reminds Philippe. Storing water, making sure it remains fit for consumption, disinfecting a can or building latrines can’t be improvised. Our teams are therefore helping the Palestinians of Gaza to reduce the risks associated with water and hygiene, which weigh heavily on their health. “We’re working with Unlimited Friends Association for Social Development, a Palestinian partner who was already working in Deir el-Balah before the crisis, to deliver drinking water. We are also working with them on a project to rehabilitate a large water treatment plant that was damaged by the fighting.”   

We want to continue delivering quality aid (…). Aid that enables people to have access, in a dignified way, to water, hygiene infrastructures and food. With more financial resources, we could do more. 

Philippe Bonnet  

Transporting humanitarian supplies remains complex. Border restrictions imposed by Israel on humanitarian actors slow down supplies. As a result, SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL is adapting, using materials already available in the enclave to improve access to water. “We want to continue delivering quality aid, based on the vulnerability criteria we’ve identified. Aid that enables people to have access, in a dignified way, to water, hygiene infrastructures and food. With more financial resources, we could do more,“ concludes Philippe Bonnet.