The situation in Gaza has escalated sharply and tragically. In the process, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are being driven into an ever smaller strip along the Mediterranean coast, producing great social and humanitarian dislocation. Since March 18, the Israeli military has issued at least 20 evacuation orders. These orders have devastated swathes of the Gaza Strip, such as the entire southern city of Rafah. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the situation in Gaza is catastrophic. More than two-thirds of this area is currently subject to active displacement orders or designated “no-go” zones, further exacerbating the situation for civilians caught in the crossfire.
The Israeli military has only expanded its ground operations, working to create an even deeper buffer zone between Gaza and Israeli territory. The massing of forces has effectively surrounded Rafah. Israeli troops ultimately took full control of strategic thoroughfares in the area, such as the Morag Corridor to the east and the Philadelphi Corridor that runs the length of the Egypt-Gaza border. The military has already declared victory over Hamas’ Rafah Brigade. This announcement makes it even harder to hold them accountable and tightens their grip on the region even further.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is worsening at an alarming rate. As the United Nations has stated, no humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza in more than six weeks, and hunger is rapidly spreading among civilians. Nevertheless, essential services are collapsing in Gaza. According to the central health ministry, 37% of essential medicines are totally out of stock and over half of anti-cancer medicines are not available. “Everything is running extremely low: Bakeries have shut down, life-saving medicines have run out, and water production has been drastically reduced,” said OCHA.
Of the nearly 400,000 people under mandatory evacuation in the last three weeks, many have evacuated with little to no notice and abandoned all of their belongings. “We don’t know where we are going, wherever our feet take us,” said Faisal Jamal Faisal, reflecting the uncertainty faced by displaced families. Abu Mohammad, another displaced resident, expressed despair at the repeated displacements, stating, “Maybe this is the twentieth time we have been displaced. Life has no meaning or future; even the past has been taken from us.”
The Israeli military has pursued a policy of assuming anyone who stays in Gaza is an enemy fighter. This policy has made it even worse for those who can’t evacuate. To try to pressure Hamas to free Israeli hostages, the military campaign has accelerated and intensified. The Israeli state envisions controlling most of Gaza for the long term. They’ll need a way to keep control over newly conquered territories.
Israel Katz, as an experienced member of the Israeli leadership said, “These areas are being brought under security control. These zones are heavily policed and controlled by Israel. He remarked, “Many areas are being captured and added to the security zones of the State of Israel, making Gaza smaller and more isolated.” He drew attention to little-noticed, but important work to integrate a re-settlement plan for the voluntary movement of Gaza’s residents. This plan matches well with U.S. President Biden’s vision.
Reports from humanitarian organizations paint a disturbing picture of what’s happening on the ground. The shelters are overcrowded, families are packing into shelter facilities under abysmal conditions as their lives have been uprooted. OCHA further pointed out that these shelters, overcrowded as they may be, are unfit for human habitation. Service providers are having a hard time staying afloat and resources are being drained quickly.
Those who take refuge in temporary camps face tragic conditions. They have a difficult time getting around debris and trash heaps. Raed Radwan described the scene: “I see tents and people lining both sides of the road in heartbreaking conditions. Bulldozers are uprooting the remnants of flattened homes for new tents.” In abysmal conditions, Abdulsalam shared his apprehension, “You find shelters for the displaced everywhere. They even find shelters between mounds of waste from the repression of space.”
With military operations still completely destroying Gaza, civilians are caught in an inescapable and deadly catch-22. Humanitarian access is all but impossible, further encircling them in this deadly reality. Displacement orders and a lack of food, water and medicine put an incredible burden on the affected population. New military offenses perpetuate their newly discovered uncertainty and fear.
