Palestinian International Organization for Peace and Human Rights

17 April 2025

What happened?

Human rights reports published on 17 April 2025 recorded attacks on tents housing displaced families in northern and southern Gaza, with casualties among people who had sought refuge in temporary shelters.

Impact on civilians

A displacement tent offers no protection against shrapnel and fire, and the danger grows when shelters are close together and crowded with children.

Safety of Displaced Civilians

International humanitarian law protects civilians wherever they live, including those sheltering in schools and tents. The evacuation and transfer of civilians are subject to strict conditions that cannot be waived simply by issuing general orders to leave.

What is needed to protect residents?

These developments require careful monitoring of reported attacks on tents and their effects on displaced families, providing information to those affected and ensuring access to medical care, humanitarian relief or remedies appropriate to the harm suffered. Established facts must be distinguished from legal assessments that require investigation by competent authorities.

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