Hosni Nedim
01 May 2026•Update: 01 May 2026
Displaced Palestinians in southeastern Gaza City set fire to their own tents on Thursday in a rare act of protest, reflecting mounting frustration over worsening living conditions and continued Israeli gunfire despite a ceasefire.
The protest took place at the Dar al-Salam camp in the Zeitoun neighborhood under the slogan “We burn our tents before they burn us,” with dozens of residents, including children, calling for urgent protection.
The participants demanded the construction of earthen barriers to shield the camp from Israeli fire and the provision of basic humanitarian aid, citing severe shortages of water and essential supplies.
Constant fear
“When the shooting starts, we throw ourselves to the ground inside the tent,” said Asmaa Arhim, a displaced resident who was previously wounded by Israeli fire.
“It offers no real protection,” she told Anadolu.
Arhim said families have been living for months without reliable access to water, forcing them to travel long distances to obtain it, while food aid arrives sporadically.
“These tents no longer provide safety or a dignified life,” she added, describing the burning of tents as a symbolic expression of anger.
The camp lies near what residents call the “yellow line” in southeastern Gaza City, where Israeli forces withdrew under a ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025.
Residents say the area has since been exposed to repeated gunfire, posing a constant threat to those living in the camp.
Unpredictable threat
“During the war, we knew when the bombing would start,” said Wissam Abdullah, another displaced resident.
“Now, you can be walking normally and get shot at any moment,” he said.
Abdullah said he had been shot twice, adding that a bullet was removed from his body just a day earlier after weeks of suffering.
“Despite talk of a ceasefire, the reality is completely different,” he added.
Hundreds of displaced Palestinians are living in Dar al-Salam camp after fleeing other parts of Zeitoun, facing worsening humanitarian conditions and limited aid.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 824 Palestinians have been killed and 2,316 injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire.
The truce was meant to halt Israel’s two-year genocidal war that has killed more than 72,000 Palestinians and injured over 172,000 since October 2023.
Despite the agreement, Israel continues attacks and maintains restrictions on the entry of food, medicine and shelter materials into Gaza, where about 2.4 million Palestinians, including 1.5 million displaced, face severe humanitarian conditions.
*Writing by Tarek Chouiref
