Forced displacement in Gaza: the occupation’s promises of “safe zones” collapse amid humanitarian catastrophe

Forced displacement in Gaza.. Special report Prepared by: Ahmed Al-Akhras

More than 700 days after the start of the Israeli war on Gaza, the occupation recently announced a large-scale military operation to seize the northern Gaza Strip, accompanied by warnings of forced evacuations toward the south and center to areas being marketed as “safe.”

But the field reality shows the opposite; thousands of Palestinian families are living in suffocating humanitarian conditions inside displacement camps, amid the collapse of basic infrastructure and declining capacity.

The tragedy of the Deir al-Balah and al-Bureij camps

In the “Al-Amir” camp west of Deir al-Balah, which houses more than 300 families, there is no space to add a single new tent. The camp director, Abu Muhammad, says the site lacks drinking water, sanitation, food and health services, making daily life almost impossible.

Displaced woman Umm Ibrahim, 70, asked: “Where are these vast spaces the occupation claims to exist?” She stressed that the cramped tents threaten children’s lives and increase the spread of disease.

The situation in the Deir al-Balah and al-Bureij camps is more dangerous, with skin and systemic diseases spreading amid the collapse of the health sector. Umm Mahmoud al-Masri, a displaced pregnant woman, said: “What will happen if the number of displaced people increases?”, at a time when the risks of pregnancy and childbirth are rising with the absence of medical care.

Water crisis: escalating daily hardship

Water in the camps has become a crisis in itself. Suha Karim, displaced from the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, describes the situation as bitter: “The jerrycans are not enough each day, and the water is so salty it cannot even clean clothes.”

She adds with concern: “What if the number of displaced people increases? Will I spend longer hours in the lines?”

Next winter will deepen the disaster

With winter approaching, the fragility of worn tents increases amid a lack of winter aid. Displaced woman Suad Ghanim asked: “Can the displaced withstand rain and deprivation?”, pointing out that forced evacuation does not provide safety but multiplies suffering.

The falsity of “humanitarian zones” in Khan Younis

The Israeli occupation recently announced the creation of what it called a “humanitarian zone” in al-Mawasi in Khan Younis. It said the area would include field hospitals, desalination plants and water lines. But this announcement quickly fell apart against reality, as nearby areas were targeted and children were killed while trying to fill water from platforms described as “safe.”

The field scene shows that this step is nothing but political propaganda. The declared areas are either destroyed or polluted with rubble and do not offer any real solution to the humanitarian crisis. United Nations reports confirmed that the “humanitarian zones” are besieged by tight security restrictions, trapping civilians in small, unsafe spaces.

Displacement into the unknown

The displaced in Gaza face a dead end in every direction. There are no truly safe areas, aid is like a mirage, while forced evacuation worsens the tragedy and manufactures false narratives of security that do not materialize.

What is happening is displacement into the unknown, multiplying hunger, disease and death, amid chronic denial by the occupation of the population’s rights to life and dignity.