Jabalia Camp

Jabalia is the largest of the Gaza Strip's eight refugee camps. It is located north of Gaza City, close to a village of the same name. After the 1948 War, refugees settled in the camp, most having fled from villages in southern Palestine. Today, the camp covers an area of only 1.4 square kilometers. 116,011 Palestine Refugees are registered with UNRWA in Jabalia camp.

BLOCKADE 

The blockade on Gaza has made life increasingly difficult for most refugees in the camp. Unemployment levels have risen dramatically, and fewer families can provide for themselves. Over the years, a staggering proportion of the population, who used to be largely self-sufficient, has become dependent on the UNRWA food assistance programme. 

Basic hygiene is also of great concern in the camp, with 90 per cent of the water being unfit for human consumption. 

CLOSED CROSSING 

Jabalia is the closest camp to the Erez border crossing between The Gaza Strip and Israel. According to OCHA, prior to the second intifada, more than 21,000 Palestinians crossed Erez to work in Israel each day. A new policy was implemented at the beginning of the second intifada in September 2000, and tightened after June 2007 following the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas. Under the new policy, only people belonging to specific Israeli-defined categories are eligible for an exit permit, subject to a security check. The vast majority of Palestinians in Gaza are not eligible to apply for an exit permit. In recent years, eligibility has expanded to include patients referred for medical treatment outside Gaza and their relatives, traders, staff of international organizations and exceptional humanitarian cases. According to OCHA, in June 2023, 42,220 persons were allowed to exit the Gaza Strip, while 55,689 persons were allowed to enter.

STATISTICS 

• 32 UNRWA installations 
• 16 school buildings accommodating 26 schools in total, of which six operate on a single-shift system and ten operate on double shifts
• One food distribution centre 
• Two health centres inside Jabalia camp and another one in the surrounding area called Saftawi 
• Two area relief and social services offices 
• One public library 
• Seven water wells 
• One maintenance and sanitation office 

MAJOR PROBLEMS 

• Electricity cuts 
• High unemployment 
• Contaminated water supply 
• Extremely high population density 
• Lack of availability of construction materials 

INFRASTRUCTURE & CAMP IMPROVEMENT 

Overcrowding and a lack of living space characterize Jabalia 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 live in substandard conditions. 

*Last Update in July 2023.