Palestine - July 17, 2024

On Saturday, July 13, an airstrike targeted makeshift tents in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, leaving many internally displaced people (IDPs) without shelter. Approximately 1.9 million people, equating to about 90% of Gaza's population, are estimated to be internally displaced. Half of this population are children, UNICEF said.

These individuals are facing severe shortages of water, food, fuel, and medicine. Their homes have been destroyed, and their families torn apart. Many children have experienced multiple displacements and have lost their homes, parents, and loved ones.

Urgent protection is needed for these displaced people, along with the preservation of essential services they depend on, including medical facilities and shelters.

SOUNDBITE:
(Arabic) Baha, 15-year-old:
“They were telling us it was a safe place, but when we were eating breakfast, we suddenly heard the bombing and the tent collapsed on us. After this building was targeted, dead bodies where all over the place and in front of the tent. Where is the safe place, they told us to go to al-Mawasi, it is a safe place, but where is safety. People, we need an immediate ceasefire now, we are tired. Wide shot, people sifted through the rubble, searching for their belongings.”

SOUNDBITE:
(Arabic) Safa, 6-year-old:
“We were playing inside the tent, and suddenly my grandmother came and took us out when the bombing started.”

SOUNDBITE:
(Arabic) Karm, 7-year-old:
“I saw the rockets falling.”