UNRWA Calls More Than 415 Thousand Palestinian Refugees Refuge In Gaza Schools

JAKARTA - The United Nations Aid and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) on Sunday reported that more than 415,000 Palestinian refugees are currently taking refuge in school buildings belonging to the agency in Gaza, while hundreds of thousands are struggling to survive in worse conditions in temporary shelters.

In a post on social media X, UNRWA shared a video recorded by one of the refugee women, Aisha, describing the extraordinary difficulties and challenges facing those who took refuge in these school buildings, which were originally intended for education, not as shelters.

The video highlights the very difficult conditions for women and girls in the Palestinian enclave amid the ongoing conflict.

"More than 415,000 refugees in Gaza are now taking refuge in UNRWA school buildings. Hundreds of thousands of others are trying to survive in worse conditions in temporary shelters," UNRWA tweeted, quoted from WAFA December 2.

Aisha, who appeared in the video, shared her personal experience: "This place is meant for education, not for residence," he said, stressing the dire situation.

"I left my beautiful house to come to this place, which has no basic necessities of life," he continued.

She described the unbearable condition by saying: "We, as Palestinian women who are displaced, suffer greatly in terms of health and economic challenges, and we have no food or drink, without support or assistance."

"The facilities we need are far away, the toilets are far away, there is no place to cook or rest, and our place of residence is unsafe, vulnerable to being bombed at any time. Gaza as a whole is unsafe. They have deprived us of our right to safety and protection," Aisha explained.

"It is our right to be protected during war. As Palestinian women, we suffer. We need your support to protect and defend us. We want you to give a dignified life to innocent women in this war so that we can face life and society," she added.

Aisha stressed the devastating impact of war on women in Gaza, recording how it is impossible to meet even basic hygiene needs, especially during menstruation: "At a time like this, a woman is devastated."

"This place is for education, not worth living in. This place is full of insects, flies, andultry, and does not have the essential facilities needed for our daily lives," Aisha concluded.