Israel and the occupied territories: Civilian suffering in Gaza on a devastating scale after two years of conflict

The devastating scale of destruction means that most Gazans have lost loved ones, their homes or their livelihoods – in some cases all three. With over 80 per cent of the population affected by evacuation orders, civilians are being pushed into ever smaller areas where access to basic needs such as food, water and medicine are severely limited. Digging through debris for a mattress to salvage, scrambling for food handouts and waiting hours in line to use a latrine have become the new normal, depriving people of any shred of dignity.