Hundreds of tents of all colours are set up on the sand at the foot of a row of buildings. The threads that hold the tents together are used to dry the washing around which the children play hide-and-seek. Others use them as volleyball nets to play a match. Everywhere, the destruction and suffering caused by the bombings are plain to see. As you walk between the tents, you can see the intense, disillusioned looks on the faces of their occupants. Despite the anxiety, smiles can sometimes be spotted. Since October 2023 and the start of the war in Gaza, the governorate of Rafah has been home to the daily tumult of displaced people. A region that became infamous following the massacres that shocked the world.
"We no longer know the difference between the sound of thunder and the bombings. With each explosion, the sky over Rafah lights up. Our lives are filled with terror."
When daylight falls, between the tents, the flames of the stoves light up the faces marked by months of exile and appalling living conditions. Large bowls of food are shared, provided there is enough to cook. That's one of the tragedies of this war: there isn't enough food. To find something to eat, children or parents risk being killed as they cross highly dangerous areas where they may be targeted by gunfire or bombardment.
As a result, according to Human Rights Watch, 90% of children under the age of two and pregnant or breastfeeding women in Gaza face "severe food poverty", meaning they eat less than two meals a day. Huda*, aged 10, in a black hoodie, expresses her hunger and thirst in an angry voice as she zigzags between the waterlogged potholes: "I'm desperate because I only eat dry food and I have to queue to drink".
Despite this dramatic situation, humanitarian aid is struggling to find a way to meet the needs of the more than one million people displaced to Rafah. Thousands of lorries, loaded with food and equipment, wait behind barriers. Yet only a few kilometres separate the goods from those who need them: on the other side of the border, in Egypt, Tdh teams are working hard.
This is what was transported in the first convoy that Tdh managed to bring into Rafah in November. The kits contained tinned food, first-aid kits as well as nappies, baby milk and baby equipment.
were delivered in February, including shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste and sanitary products.
received toys and equipment to carry out fun and educational activities with the children.
should receive our help in the UNRWA refugee camps.
This is what was transported in the first convoy that Tdh managed to bring into Rafah in November. The kits contained tinned food, first-aid kits as well as nappies, baby milk and baby equipment.
were delivered in February, including shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste and sanitary products.
received toys and equipment to carry out fun and educational activities with the children.
should receive our help in the UNRWA refugee camps.
But because of administrative obstacles, "we are a long way from a sufficient humanitarian response", regrets Simone Manfredi, head of the Tdh delegation in Jerusalem. The Israeli authorities are blocking access for goods and humanitarian aid. "In Gaza, we can only rely on our local team, which is itself badly affected", explains Simone. That's why the teams are relieved when the lorries manage to get through. Since March, Tdh has managed to send one convoy a month. The aim is to restore dignity to the most vulnerable, while maintaining recreational activities with the children, who also need to play and express their feelings. The children ask themselves: "Will we ever be able to go back to school?"
Mariam*, aged 10, has a heart drawn on her pink jumper, in the middle of which the words "Love forever" stand in stark contrast to the brutality of the war. "I wanted to become an engineer, but since the start of this war, I've realised that I'll never be anything". To be nothing: a horrible disavowal that a child should never feel. But the bombings and forced displacement are too violent, the shock too strong.
"They have trouble sleeping, feel angry and express aggression. These are typical symptoms of a traumatic life. For 17 years, they've been living under permanent blockade, they've already been through several wars and they've never lived a whole day without a power cut."
In this context, Tdh sets up activities to protect children and their families. For example, psychological first aid and participation in games enable children to open up by helping them to unburden themselves and talking about their traumas. Parents are also given key messages and awareness-raising activities to help them resolve conflicts within the family, given that aggression is a normal reaction in a traumatic situation. "We give parents the keys to managing their children's stress by adopting a positive frame of mind," says Khitam. "We use the word resilience a lot, but here it's bigger than that," says Simone. He concludes:
"Meeting Palestinians on a daily basis gives us hope and the will to fight with them."
Yes, I want to help.
