Gaza: The Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster condemned on Tuesday Israeli attacks on displacement sites in the Gaza Strip.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Global CCCM Cluster expressed in a press statement its alarm over the escalating humanitarian crisis resulting from the renewed Israeli military offensive across the Gaza Strip, which has forcibly displaced almost 180,000 people between 15-25 May. The statement highlighted the increasing frequency of direct attacks on displacement sites, including deadly airstrikes on tents in the al-Mawasi area and a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City. The intensified military operations across North Gaza, eastern Khan Younis, and eastern Deir al Balah over the past ten days have also resulted in numerous casualties.
The Global CCCM Cluster condemned these attacks on displacement sites, emphasizing that these locations are meant to protect displaced civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law. A Palestinian aid worker in al-Mawasi described the exhaustion and trauma faced by civilians due to repeated displacement, expressing a preference to stay home despite the dangers, as being separated from family during such attacks is profoundly distressing.
The Cluster reported that since Israel unilaterally ended the ceasefire agreement on 18 March, nearly 616,000 people have been displaced, with some experiencing displacement multiple times. During the ceasefire, over half a million people returned to their homes in the northern Strip, attempting to rebuild their lives. However, the intensified military operations have reversed this progress, displacing families once again from areas they recently returned to.
It is estimated that 80 percent of the Gaza Strip is under displacement orders or marked as 'no-go' zones, leaving civilians with no safe haven as airstrikes and fighting impact the entire region. The ongoing aid blockade has resulted in no guarantee of shelter or protection for civilians, with movement restrictions and indiscriminate strikes on civilian infrastructure continuously exposing civilians to danger.
The Cluster raised concerns over the Israeli aid distribution plan, known as the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, warning that it risks circumventing established humanitarian coordination mechanisms and undermining humanitarian principles. It emphasized that humanitarian operations must adhere to the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence, and aid should be delivered based solely on needs rather than military or political considerations.
The Cluster urged for humanitarian actors to have the ability to reach people in both communities and displacement sites to assess risks and deliver necessary assistance. It advocated for a UN-coordinated plan to resume principled aid delivery as the only solution to support displaced communities in Gaza.
Despite the efforts of humanitarian partners to provide lifesaving assistance across Gaza, the primary obstacle remains the access constraints imposed by Israel. The Cluster called for an immediate end to attacks on displacement sites, unimpeded humanitarian access, and the protection of civilians. It concluded by expressing solidarity with displaced communities in Gaza and reaffirming its commitment to a coordinated, community-led, and protection-centered humanitarian response.