In Gaza there is only one place left for civilians to go.
It is called al Mawasi, a collection of fields, sand dunes and broken buildings that have been overwhelmed by a great blanket of humanity.
According to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), around 1.9 million have squeezed themselves into this territory.
Israel has designated it a ‘humanitarian area’ where civilians can find respite from the fighting – but international aid agencies argue that al Mawasi is neither humane – nor safe – and represents a major breach of international law.
With few roads and little fresh water, this coastal strip has never been viewed as suitable for habitation, and aid groups argue that Israel – as the occupying power – has continually failed to consider the needs of those now living there.
Our team found dozens of new arrivals to al Mawasi erecting basic shelters within the confines of an operational cemetery.
Living with the dead they told us, was their only option.
“Where else would we go?” said one.
“Al Mawasi is full. Here we are with dead friends and family – and in any case – we’ll be down there with them soon.”
The graveyard smells of decomposing bodies and the children find it hard to sleep, but there’s still some room around the gravestones.
Our team saw one tent-like structure with guy lines strapped to a series of stone slabs.
“On a normal day before the war, this was a scary place… we’d walk by as quickly as possible. Can you imagine having to sleep in the middle of it?” one graveyard resident said.
Despite the overcrowding, there are some parts of al Mawasi where people simply cannot countenance life.
