A tent camp for displaced Palestinians pops up in southern Gaza, reawakening old traumas

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A Makeshift Encampment for Displaced Palestinians Emerges in Southern Gaza, Resurfacing Old Wounds

As the sun ascended into the sky on a Friday morning, casting its autumnal heat upon the debris-laden streets of Gaza, Mohammed Elian ventured out from the modest opening of his newly-erected canvas shelter. He was joined by hundreds of other Palestinians who had been displaced by the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas. Their convergence into a makeshift tent camp in southern Gaza invoked poignant memories of their most profound trauma.

In the preceding week, following the Israeli military’s directive to evacuate the northern regions, Mohammed Elian, a well-dressed 35-year-old graphic designer hailing from Gaza City, found himself homeless in Khan Younis. His possessions were reduced to meager comforts: thin mattresses, solar-powered phone chargers, and whatever clothing and cookware could be crammed into a friend’s car.

With no viable alternatives, Elian, accompanied by his wife and four children, sought refuge in the sprawling tent camp that spontaneously emerged as the United Nations shelters in Gaza reached capacity. This situation is particularly distressing, given that the majority of Gaza’s inhabitants are already refugees from the 1948 conflict surrounding the establishment of Israel.

“We have abandoned everything behind, and yet, we are not assured of safety,” lamented Elian from a nearby hospital as he scoured for water to provide for his children, aged between 4 and 10. The distant rumble of airstrikes could be heard in the background.

Numerous Palestinians have either lost their homes or been compelled to flee due to the intense Israeli bombardment triggered by a violent cross-border attack by Hamas militants almost two weeks ago. The impromptu establishment of the tent city in Khan Younis to provide shelter has stirred emotions of anger, disbelief, and sorrow throughout the Arab world.

Rows of white tents now dot the dusty parking lot, offering a meager semblance of refuge. Children find solace in the shade, while men exchange haircuts. Newly acquainted neighbors wait expectantly outside for their shared meal provided by U.N. workers – a modest offering of loaves of bread and cans of tuna or beans.

“These images are deeply unsettling for the Arab world,” expressed Daoud Kuttab, a Palestinian journalist based in Jordan.

The sight of Palestinians hastily assembling U.N. tents serves as a poignant reminder of the mass exodus referred to as the Nakba, or “catastrophe.” During the months leading up to and during the 1948 war, an estimated 700,000 Palestinians were displaced or expelled from what is now Israel. Many harbored the hope of returning once the conflict concluded.

Seventy-five years later, those temporary tents in the West Bank, Gaza, and neighboring Arab nations have metamorphosed into permanent cinderblock residences.

“When Palestinians in Gaza are instructed to evacuate, it immediately evokes memories of 1948, and these images of tents further amplify that connection,” remarked Rashid Khalidi, a professor of Arab studies at Columbia University. “Palestinian writers have etched this into the Arab consciousness.”

The United Nations’ Palestinian refugee agency clarifies that the camp in Khan Younis is not intended to be permanent. They distributed tents and blankets to numerous displaced families in Khan Younis who could not find accommodation in other U.N. facilities, aiming to shield them from inclement weather and provide a semblance of dignity and privacy. Gaza already hosts eight enduring refugee camps, which, over time, have evolved into densely populated urban neighborhoods.

Nonetheless, concerns have surged across the region regarding the tents in Khan Younis and the evacuation alerts from Israel. This has further fueled the large-scale protests erupting in Middle Eastern capitals in response to the Gaza conflict, which commenced on October 7 when Hamas executed an operation resulting in the deaths of 1,400 Israelis. In retaliation, Israel’s bombing campaign, under the aegis of the Hamas-run Health Ministry, has claimed the lives of over 4,000 Palestinians, with a significant number of victims being women and children.

“The situation is deeply disconcerting for the Jordanian government,” commented journalist Daoud Kuttab, given the wave of displaced Palestinians. “They are keen to avoid any semblance of this notion.”

Jordan, a typically tranquil nation home to a substantial population descended from Palestinian refugees, has been shaken by protests, drawing thousands of demonstrators with an intensity rarely witnessed in recent years.

Elian, grappling with the immediate concerns of shelter and sustenance, has had little time to contemplate the symbolism of his predicament. While he and his family initially sought refuge in a crowded U.N. school, he described the conditions as “horrific” – devoid of sleeping space and privacy. At the very least, within the confines of his tent, he can find some measure of closure.

“We are living one moment to the next,” he acknowledged. “Our focus remains on the immediate future, uncertain about when or how we’ll return home.”

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Reporting by [Journalist’s Name] in [Location].

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Displaced Palestinians

More about Displaced Palestinians

• Gaza conflict: Displaced Palestinians
• Nakba: The Palestinian Catastrophe
• United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
• Historical Background on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
• Middle East Protests