As threats of further Israeli incursions loom over Gaza City, residents face new waves of displacement, intensifying an already catastrophic humanitarian situation. Southern and central districts can no longer accommodate the influx of displaced families, with infrastructure collapsing and essential services, including water supply, stretched to the brink. Hundreds of thousands are now living under the constant shadow of uncertainty, with schools, public facilities, and streets serving as temporary shelters.

Repeated displacement has imposed crushing financial burdens. Families fleeing eastern neighbourhoods such as Shuja’iya, Zeitoun, Sabra, and northern towns like Jabalia and Beit Hanoun are forced to seek refuge in overcrowded coastal and central areas. The cost of even the most basic necessities, tents, transport, and sanitation, is staggering, leaving many unable to secure safe shelter. One mother described sharing a classroom in Deir al-Balah with several other families, with children sleeping on the floor, highlighting the grim reality of survival amid a collapsing system.

Housing rents have surged to unprecedented levels, often exploiting desperate families. Apartments that would normally rent for a fraction of current prices now command sums beyond residents’ means. Legal and social experts warn that this economic strain, coupled with repeated forced displacement, has created a moral and psychological crisis: families are trapped in overcrowded, unsafe spaces, while inflation and scarcity drive resentment, stress, and trauma. Poverty now affects over 90% of the population, with unemployment reaching 83%, leaving Gazans unable to absorb additional costs even for the most basic survival needs.

Amid the ongoing siege, relentless attacks, and skyrocketing living costs, displacement in Gaza has evolved from a humanitarian tragedy into an unending struggle for survival, with no viable alternatives or relief in sight.