In northern Gaza’s Jabalia Refugee Camp, Palestinian resident Ismail al-Najjar is living with his family in a small cave-like space he dug beneath the rubble of their home, destroyed in Israeli airstrikes. With winter approaching and almost no intact housing left, al-Najjar says he has no choice but to stay under a roof “ready to collapse at any moment.”
He appealed to the international community for help, saying families are now fighting “a war for shelter, food, water, and basic needs.” According to Gaza’s media office, Israeli attacks since October 7, 2023, have killed more than 69,000 people, injured over 170,000, and destroyed or damaged hundreds of thousands of homes.
Muhammed Rabah