Maghazi camp

Al-Maghazi refugee camp is located in the centre of the Gaza Strip, south of Bureij camp. It was established in 1949 and is one of the smaller camps in Gaza, both in terms of size and population.

Al-Maghazi is characterized by narrow alleys and high population density, on an area that is no more than 0.6 square kilometres. Most of the refugees who took shelter in Maghazi as they fled the hostilities of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war originated from villages in central and southern Palestine.

Like other camps in Gaza, Al-Maghazi suffers from high unemployment and poverty.

Maghazi camp, Gaza Strip. © 2016 UNRWA Photo by Tamer Hamam

STATISTICS

• Five school buildings of which two are single-shift and six operate on double shifts, accommodating eight schools in total
• One food distribution centre shared with Deir El-Balah refugee camp
• One health centre
• One area relief and social services offices
• One maintenance and sanitation office

MAJOR PROBLEMS

• Poverty
• Unemployment
• Housing shortage
• Lack of adequate electricity supply

INFRASTRUCTURE & CAMP IMPROVEMENT

Overcrowding and a lack of living space characterize Al-Maghazi camp. Shelters are built in close vicinity 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, in some cases without proper design. Many live in substandard conditions.