Gaza: New report shows coping has reached its limits after nearly a year of attacks
A new report, released today by Ground Truth Solutions and Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD), shows that aid is barely helping to address the scale of the devastation in Gaza, as people’s coping mechanisms dwindle.
In a context where primary data collection is nearly impossible, 1,248 people were surveyed or interviewed face-to-face in Gaza between June 22nd and July 30th. The research found:
95% of people had been forcibly displaced since the war began, 50% have now had to move four times or more.
The more times they are forced to flee, the more negative their coping strategies become. Almost everyone is not eating nearly enough and postponing washing, 3 in 4 are drinking dirty water, and one in four say they have been forced to send their children to work. Every single person interviewed asked for food and water.
71% say their primary source of support in the past six months has been international organisations. But only 22% are confident they will be able to access any more aid in the coming months. Only 20% of people surveyed think aid is going to those who need it most, while a meagre 18% think aid provision is fair.
One-third say they are coping thanks to community groups, especially in Gaza City, while 13% cite support from Palestinians living abroad. Everyone surveyed had provided or received support from others in their community, most commonly by helping with daily tasks, sharing food and water, taking care of children or sharing information on aid and services.
Trust in information is very low, but for two thirds of people (64%), local journalists remain the most trusted source of information.
People in Gaza call on the world to acknowledge what is happening and stop the violence. Many feel that the world has forgotten about them and perceive the international community as a silent partner in the atrocities.
Even with their safety at immediate risk, for 33%, the fear of being unable to rebuild after all the destruction is one of their most pressing worries.