Gaza civilians face extreme hardship as conflict enters fourth year

As the conflict in Gaza enters its fourth year, the daily lives of Palestinian civilians continue to be defined by extreme hardship and displacement. Residents are living in makeshift conditions, including tents and the back of pickup trucks, to escape ongoing instability.

One 76-year-old woman, Mansoura, now resides in the back of a flat-bed truck after fleeing Beit Lahia. She describes the difficulty of sleeping due to heat and mosquitoes, and the physical struggle of navigating her cramped, mobile living space.

Other residents face profound personal loss and physical strain. Alaa Hessi, who is pregnant, lives in a tent situated atop the ruins of her former family home. She previously lost three children—Waseem, Mohannad, and Khawla—during an Israeli airstrike that destroyed her residence. The living conditions in the tent camps are characterized by a total lack of privacy and security.