Bureij camp

Bureij refugee camp is a comparatively small refugee camp located in the middle of the Gaza Strip. The camp is located near Maghazi and Nuseirat refugee camps. 

Bureij camp was built in the 1950s to house refugees who, until then, had lived in British army barracks and tents. The refugees who settled in Bureij mostly came from Palestinian towns east of Gaza, such as Falouja. 46,629 Palestinian Refugees are registered with UNRWA in Bureij Camp.

BLOCKADE 

The blockade on Gaza has made life more difficult for most camp residents. Unemployment levels have risen dramatically, and fewer families can provide for themselves, leaving a staggering proportion of the population dependent on the UNRWA food assistance programme. 

WATER AND SANITATION 

Bureij camp is located close to Wadi Gaza, an open sewage pond from which raw sewage flows directly into the sea. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, up to 80,000 cubic meters of raw or partially treated sewage are discharged into the ocean in Gaza each day, resulting in serious environmental health risks, including watery and bloody diarrhea among refugee children. 

In the camp, 90 per cent of the water is unfit for human consumption. 

STATISTICS 

• 13 UNRWA installations 
• Nine school buildings accommodating 12 schools in total, of which six operate on a single-shift system and six operate on double shifts
• One food distribution centre, shared with Nuseirat refugee camp
• One health centre 
• One area relief and social services office 
• One maintenance and sanitation office 

MAJOR PROBLEMS 

• Electricity cuts 
• High unemployment 
• High population density 
• Lack of availability of construction materials 
• Contaminated water supply and proximity to Wadi Gaza 

INFRASTRUCTURE & CAMP IMPROVEMENT 

Overcrowding and a lack of living space characterize Bureij camp. Shelters are built in close proximity to one another and there is a general lack of recreational and social space. In many cases, residents have had to add extra floors to their shelters to accommodate their families. Often, these lack proper design. Many residents live in substandard conditions. 

*Last Update in July 2023.