The people of Gaza are facing a new crisis in the context of the current
military offensive by Israeli forces, as thousands have become internally
displaced. Yesterday, at around 3.30 in the afternoon, leaflets were dropped
from Israeli F16s over the neighbourhoods of Beit Lahia and Western Beit Lahia,
in the northern Gaza Strip and over Sheikh Ajleen, Tal el Hawa, Rimal South, Zeitoun
Quarter, Shujaiya Turkman, and New Shujaiya in Gaza City. The leaflets
instructed families to move from their homes and seek shelter in so-called
‘safe’ areas. Many families immediately packed their belongings, loaded them
into taxis, vans, donkey carts or whatever transport they could find, and made
their way to relatives’ homes or one of the 13 UNRWA schools which began
accepting these displaced people. Some families were forced to walk.

Mahmoud al Attar comes from a farming and fishing family in the Attatra
area in the Northern Gaza Strip. Four years ago, during Operation Cast Lead,
Northern Gaza was the place which suffered the most devastating destruction and
the highest number of deaths. Houses, farms, and factories were completely
destroyed, and the people living in the area are still traumatised. Mahmoud is
now seeking shelter, together with 36 members of his family, in New Gaza Boys
Preparatory school, an UNRWA school on Nasser Street. 1,800 people from
Attatra, Salateen, Twam and other areas are being housed in 34 classrooms, and
the school is now at full capacity. Approximately 200 people were turned away
at the gates yesterday evening because there was no room. They had to go to
other schools. Mahmoud describes the events of yesterday:

“In the last war, we faced the same situation and we came to the same
school for shelter. Yesterday afternoon, they dropped papers from planes.
Immediately, people panicked and started to pack and leave. There was bombing
all around. We brought food for one day and a few blankets. We don’t have
enough blankets and no mattresses. We rushed to the city from the North. I am
here with my 18 children, 36 members of my family altogether, and we are all
sleeping in one room which is around 8 metres by 6. We are sleeping on the tile
floor and chairs. In the beginning of the night, they killed a journalist in a
street nearby. We don’t even feel safe here. They have bombed schools before.”

UNRWA has opened 13 schools: 8 in Gaza City, 4 in the Northern area and
one in the Middle Area in Al Bureij refugee camp. The school Mahmoud and his
family are in is crowded, and conditions are already unsanitary. The courtyard
is strewn with donkey droppings, and laundry hangs from the windows. Still more
families are arriving with their belongings in hope of finding shelter. Akif
Shalabi is an arts and crafts teacher in a nearby school who is assisting with
running the shelter. He explains:

“Many hundreds of people came. They came walking, in cars, in tuk tuks
and on donkey carts. We only received water this morning and we are still
waiting for food to be supplied. So far, people have only had the food they
brought with them to eat. People were emotional as they arrived. Elderly women
and children were crying.

We went from classroom to classroom and registered the names of the
families within. We recorded their medical needs and have sent the information
to UNRWA. My colleagues and I are working in two shifts, from 7am – 5pm and 5pm
– 7am.

Our biggest needs are blankets and mattresses, and food. We also need to
care for around 150 infants aged from 1 day old to 2 years. They need nappies
and milk. There are also many pregnant women. One 30-year-old woman went into
labour during the night and was brought to the hospital to deliver her baby.”

Mahmoud’s wife, Hanan (45), was in the classroom with her family.
Mahmoud and Hanan’s 7 month old grandson was sleeping on a blanket with his
mother, Manar (22), sitting on the floor beside him.

Hanan described her experience:

“The days at home were very bad. We didn’t sleep at all. We were shaken
every night. Everything was getting bombed, and we were afraid of the
airstrikes and tank shells. Three days ago, my granddaughter Thawra (3) tried
to run when there was bombing. She fell down and hurt herself. Now she has a black
eye and cuts on her face. We came in a car to the school. Four years ago, we
lived through this as well. We simply had to leave our homes. It is better here
than at home. We will wait here until there is a ceasefire. We are really
hoping for a ceasefire. We want to go back. We want to live like normal people,
without fear.”