Thousands of Palestinian families will be homeless

October 28, 2009

A study prepared by save the children organization revealed that tens of thousands of Palestinian families including children in the occupied Palestinian lands are threatened with displacement as a result of forced evictions, house demolitions, land confiscation and military operations.

The study added that the families sometimes find themselves forced to abandon their lands and homes as a result of the intolerable conditions, despite the fact that their living conditions often get worse after that.

The study, which covered the rural areas in the West Bank and Gaza border areas, noted that the Palestinian inhabitants of these areas endure deteriorating living conditions represented in the daily shortage of water and food, rising unemployment, broken homes and the failure of children to go to school.

"We always knew that the life was tough in these areas, but this new research has shown just how bad things are. Many families we spoke to were at breaking point," Salam Kanaan, the director of save the children in Palestine, said.

"Without a secure future, children’s lives are blighted. Constant fear of upheaval, combined with a daily struggle for basics, has left children depressed and traumatized," she added.

According to the study, almost half of Palestinians living in high-risk areas have been forced from their homes since the start of the second intifada in 2000.

Save the children demanded Israel in its report to halt actions that result in displacement, including the demolition of Palestinian homes, and to clearly define a policy for Gaza buffer zones that are in line with its international legal obligations to protect civilians under occupation.