The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that approximately 1.7 million people have been displaced across the Gaza Strip since October 7. In a report released yesterday, UNRWA stated that "nearly 884,000 displaced individuals are now residing in 154 agency facilities across all five governorates of Gaza, including the northern region, while about 724,000 displaced persons are sheltering in 97 facilities in the central areas, Khan Younis, and Rafah."
The agency warned that "the number of displaced individuals continues to rise, and UNRWA shelters in the central and southern regions are extremely overcrowded and unable to accommodate newcomers." It explained that "the facilities are hosting a significantly larger number of people than their intended capacity, and they are not designed to host such a large crowd, lacking adequate facilities to provide safe and dignified living conditions." The excessive overcrowding leads to "a significant spread of diseases, including acute respiratory infections and diarrhea, as well as raising environmental and health issues, which limits the agency's ability to ensure the provision of services."
The report noted that "individuals in the shelters do not have enough food and basic survival supplies, while personal hygiene levels are low and mental health issues are increasing. On average, there is one bathing facility for every 700 people in UNRWA shelters."
