Israel urges Gaza civilians to flee to ‘safe zone,’ where arrivals find little but muddy roads

Muwasi is a small area in the southwest of Gaza, designated by Israel as a safe zone during the conflict. It is intended to provide shelter and humanitarian supplies to people fleeing the war.

Muwasi is described as a makeshift tent camp with poor living conditions, no running water, or proper sanitation. It falls short of the safety standards expected in a designated safe zone.

No, international humanitarian groups, including the United Nations, do not recognize Muwasi as a safe zone and do not provide services there.

Aid organizations have expressed concerns that Muwasi lacks the necessary conditions to be a true safe zone and that concentrating civilians there could increase the risk of harm during active hostilities.

Many residents in Muwasi have to fend for themselves, sleeping in cars or setting up their own tents. They often have to purchase food, water, and firewood at inflated prices due to the scarcity of aid shipments.

The lack of toilets and poor hygiene conditions in Muwasi are significant challenges, with people relieving themselves wherever they can. This lack of privacy and hygiene is a concern for the displaced population.

The nylon tents in Muwasi provide little shelter against the cold, rainy weather expected during the winter months, posing additional challenges for the displaced residents.

Muwasi’s makeshift camps evoke memories of the Palestinian “nakba” or catastrophe, a historic event in which Palestinians were uprooted from their homes during the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s establishment.

Many humanitarian groups and leaders, including some of the world’s largest organizations and the United States, have raised concerns about Muwasi’s suitability as a safe zone and have called for better protection for Palestinian civilians during the conflict.