The mayor of Deir al-Balah, Nizar Ayash, has warned that the city’s residents are living under dire conditions as services collapse amid the tightening blockade. Water is scarce, garbage piles up in streets and camps, and thousands of displaced families are forced to sleep on the ground without shelter, tents, or access to basic necessities. Children, women, and the elderly endure extreme overcrowding, mud, and unbearable heat, with little hope of relief.

Ayash highlighted the urgent risk of disease outbreaks, stressing that the absence of hygiene and minimal healthcare poses an immediate threat to life. He noted that the city has reached its breaking point: there is no remaining space to accommodate additional displaced families, and areas still exposed to military operations remain wholly unsafe. The humanitarian crisis is compounded by relentless bombings, leaving central and southern regions overwhelmed and deprived of essential services.

The mayor’s warnings underscore the catastrophic impact of the blockade, which, alongside ongoing military assaults, has transformed Deir al-Balah into a city on the brink. Thousands are trapped in unlivable conditions, illustrating the scale of the humanitarian disaster that continues to unfold across Gaza.