1. Accueil
  2. Middle East and North Africa
  3. Israel

Homeless Gazans struggle to find shelter

Ahmed Abdel Al, a 31-year-old taxi driver, his wife and his three young children ran for their lives from their home in the Al-Tufa area, east of Gaza City, after a small rocket exploded in their living room on 13 January. Minutes later three missiles fro Erica Silverman/IRIN
Ahmed Abdel Al stands amidst destroyed buildings in the Al-Tufa area, east of Gaza city
Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are still seeking shelter after their homes were badly damaged or destroyed during the 22-day Israeli offensive which ended on 18 January.

Some 4,000 homes were destroyed and about 17,000 badly damaged, according to a recent UN Gaza flash appeal. Some 50,000 people took shelter in UNRWA (UN agency for Palestinian refugees) facilities during the height of the conflict and tens of thousands have been staying in very cramped conditions with family and friends.

About US$106 million of the US$613 million UN emergency appeal issued 2 February is for shelter and non-food items, like mattresses and blankets.

No'oman (who declined to give his family name) told IRIN he, his two wives and 10 children were given five minutes to evacuate their home in Neusarat on 8 January. His 16-year-old cousin was killed in the attack which completely destroyed his home.

“Our family lost everything - furniture, two cars, more than $500,000,” said No'oman, who reckoned his home was targeted because his brother works with Islamic Jihad.

Hamas has given the family $2,000 as emergency relief compensation.

The family has taken shelter in a nearby unfinished building. The bare-bones structure lacks heating or a decent water supply.

Mattresses more expensive
Palestinian families leave their houses after Israeli airstrikes in Rafah near the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt
Photo: Iyad El Baba/UNICEF-oPt
Palestinian families leave their houses after Israeli airstrikes in Rafah near the Gaza Strip's border with Egypt. Some 4,000 homes were destroyed and about 17,000 badly damaged, according to a recent UN Gaza flash appeal

Mattresses, blankets and plastic sheeting are hard to find in Gaza and have gone up in price. Thin mats can be found for 200 shekels (about $50); tents are not available, according to local residents.

No'oman makes a good living as a businessman but there are few homes for rent in Gaza due to soaring demand. Property owners fear tenants, unable to rebuild their homes due to the lack of building materials like glass and cement, will never leave.

“Hamas is providing quick relief for those whose homes were destroyed - between $500 and $2,000 per household,” Hamas political leader Ghazi Hamad, head of borders and crossings, told IRIN. “And food assistance, like sugar, oil and blankets.”

“Hamas is the government, it is their responsibility to provide us a decent life,” said No'oman’s mother, Farhana.

UN agencies like UNRWA and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as well as international aid organisations like CARE, are looking to buy building materials and emergency relief items on the local market, but say they are unavailable.

“We have allowed humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza. The question is about goods that might have dual uses, like fertilizer which can be used to manufacture explosives,” deputy spokesperson of the Israeli Foreign Ministry Andy David told IRIN by telephone.

Ahmed’s story
Ahmed Abdel Al, a 31-year-old taxi driver, his wife and his three young children ran for their lives from their home in the Al-Tufa area, east of Gaza City, after a small rocket exploded in their living room on 13 January. Minutes later three missiles fro
Photo: Erica Silverman/IRIN
Ahmed Abdel Al inside what remains of his home

Ahmed Abdel Al, a 31-year-old taxi driver, his wife and three young children ran for their lives in the A-Tufa area east of Gaza City after a small rocket exploded in their living room on 13 January.

Minutes later three missiles from an Israeli F-16 levelled the home, said Ahmed.

Five of the 48 residents in the building (30 of them children) were wounded, including Ahmed’s 58-year-old father.

The family said it lost an estimated $250,000, including their home and possessions. Ahmed said Hamas officials had given him US$3,200 in relief aid.

“I found an apartment for the family for $180 per month, which is expensive,” said Ahmed, now sleeping in his car. “I can’t find a mattress - I am looking for blankets, but so far all I have is glass and a cooking gas cylinder.” 

Chris Gunness, an UNRWA spokesperson, said there was no longer anyone living in UNRWA schools or facilities and that
8,000 people had been relocated to apartments with monthly rent assistance from UNRWA. He also confirmed that hundreds of tents had been distributed.

es/ar/cb

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

Partager cet article

Get the day’s top headlines in your inbox every morning

Starting at just $5 a month, you can become a member of The New Humanitarian and receive our premium newsletter, DAWNS Digest.

DAWNS Digest has been the trusted essential morning read for global aid and foreign policy professionals for more than 10 years.

Government, media, global governance organisations, NGOs, academics, and more subscribe to DAWNS to receive the day’s top global headlines of news and analysis in their inboxes every weekday morning.

It’s the perfect way to start your day.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian today and you’ll automatically be subscribed to DAWNS Digest – free of charge.

Become a member of The New Humanitarian

Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

Join