Palestinians suffer from lack of proper toilets across Gaza’s vast tent cities

Palestinians displaced by the war in Gaza are suffering from a severe lack of proper sanitation in vast tent cities. With no functioning public toilets, families are forced to create makeshift latrines within their tents or use communal facilities that are often unsanitary and unsafe, particularly for women at night. The collapse of sewage pumping stations due to bombardment has exacerbated the hygienic crisis, leading to foul odors and the spread of disease. While some aid groups have initiated small-scale improvements, the scale of the problem is immense, and reconstruction efforts are uncertain. The cost of even basic toilet components is prohibitive for most displaced families, forcing them to improvise with limited resources.

Displaced Gazans are living in dire conditions in tent camps in southern Gaza, lacking basic sanitation facilities. Mostafa Shaaban, who was driven from Rafah two years ago, built a makeshift toilet in his family's tent using a pit, a concrete slab, and a bucket, as a more private alternative to the communal latrines. These communal latrines are used by hundreds of people and are described as fetid, attracting flies and mosquitoes. Shaaban's makeshift toilet also emits a foul odor and requires weekly manual removal of sewage sludge. He resorted to this measure because he found the public facilities humiliating for his wife and children. The article highlights the lack of proper toilets as a significant challenge for families living in these tent cities.