PRESS RELEASE: 1.8 million in Gaza face protracted displacement, inhumane living conditions as Israel expands military zone

Gaza, 1 October 2026 –Palestinians in Gaza face inhumane living conditions one year after the so-called ceasefire that has left them in protracted displacement, unable to return home and rebuild their lives, and desperately trying to survive in a shrinking territory as Israel expands its demarcation line and blocks the delivery of life-saving aid, according to a new report by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Agricultural Development Association (PARC).  

The report, Confined by Design: The Human Cost of Protracted Displacement in Gaza, shows how Israel’s strategy of frequent, forced, and often violent displacement of the population during the conflict’s first two years has morphed into a policy of protracted displacement. About 1.8 million people, or 86% of the population, live in 1,739 displacement sites. Meanwhile, the killings continue: more than 1,400 people have been killed since the 10 October ceasefire.  

“People are desperate, and they are at breaking point. Conditions inside displacement sites are unsafe and inhumane. Every day is a struggle to find clean water. Meanwhile, sewage systems are collapsing, and waste is running through pathways. People are using cesspits that overflow and attract rodents. At night, rats enter the bedding and bite children. It is a nightmare,” said Hani Al Ramlawi, Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships at PARC, which is one of DRC’s partners in Gaza.   

Following the ceasefire hundreds of thousands of people moved from south to north Gaza. They returned to destroyed family homes, and neighbourhoods no longer fit for living due to lack of basic services and unexploded weapons beneath the rubble. These attempts to settle in their areas of origin also failed due to the demarcation line referred to as the Yellow Line – a line that has become an internal boundary splitting Gaza and forcing people to stay west of the line.  

In northern Rafah, DRC witnessed the line expand from small increments to increments of between 300 to 500 meters during events of 12-14 July – when five Israeli tanks crossed the Yellow Line and advanced on a displacement site. The report estimates that at least 13,000 people continue to be at risk of forced displacement in that area.  

“Those living near the Yellow Line describe a ‘free fire’ zone in which civilians are routinely targeted, injured and killed if they go anywhere near it. Those living near the line describe nighttime searchlights, drones, and stray bullets – it is too dangerous to go outside. When the line moves – often unannounced – and it creeps closer, families have no choice but to flee. This cycle of displacement must end,” said Moseley.  

Beyond immediate physical danger, the Yellow Line severely isolates populations from essential aid. Aid groups are unable to operate within several kilometers of the line, either due to access constraints or security concerns.