Gaza Strip - May 24, 2024

Storyline:
Displaced Palestinians seeking shelter at a school-turned refugee camp in northern Gaza City are facing food and medical supply shortages and appalling sanitary conditions after renewed Israeli attacks cut aid flows and forced them to flee from nearby Jabalia region.

The New Gaza Elementary School located in the western part of the Gaza City is one of the several dozens of schools sponsored by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Last year, the institute became a major local temporary refugee camp after Israeli military entered Gaza. Now, bullet holes and bomb craters are seen all over the school buildings.

Many displaced Palestinians left the camp in April after temporary and massive withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. But the shelter has been flooded again with refugees since the military resumed its operation in the norther part of the strip on May 12.

Residents in the camp said that now, the site is home to over 5,000 displaced Palestinians.

As the school lacks the basic amenities, residents can only live in the open space and hallways and make food with the food stocks they piled before.

As the conflict drags on, their savings are running out, but the aid accessible falls far short of the needs, plunging their life into crisis again.

The drinking water supply to the school's residents relies completely on three water tanks, which are connected by thin water pipes to the water supply system barely maintained by a local aid group.

Bilal Daduna who previously lived in the northern Gaza fled to the refugee camp several months ago, now he and his family live in a classroom with a huge bomb crater in the wall.

Shotlist:
Gaza City, Gaza Strip - May 24, 2024:
1. New Gaza Elementary School, displaced Palestinians;
2. Various of displaced children;
3. New Gaza Elementary School;
4. Various of bullet holes, bomb craters;
5. Various of displaced Palestinians;
6. Various of Nasser Abu Khair, displaced Palestinian, making food;
7. Flatbread in box;
8. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nasser Abu Khair, displaced Palestinian:
"The price of 500 grams of flour is 270 new shekels (over 73 U.S. dollars), and one bread costs 15 new shekels (over four U.S. dollars). How can I afford bread, as I have no money left for buying one."
9. Various of displaced Palestinians waiting in line before water tank;
10. Various of interior of refuge camp;
11. Various of Bilal Daduna, displaced Palestinian, showing bomb crater, bomb crater;
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bilal Daduna, displaced Palestinian (starting with shot 11):
"I line up for water at nine o'clock every morning. On average, drinking water is available for only one hour here per day, but we have about 5,000 people here. We wait in line for about two hours for using the toilet and we have to get the water for flushing the toilet ourselves. The bathroom has no door, electricity or light. You can smell the stench now even from here, and all the garbage is piled up in front of the school gate."
13. Various of New Gaza Elementary School, displaced Palestinians.

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