Meeting with Gazan evacuees in Cairo, December 2023

Between 26 and 27 December, Oliver met with a group of businessmen and a human rights lawyer who had just come from Gaza. This meeting was organised by the Shaf Centre for Future Studies and Crisis Analysis, a Cairo-based NGO that provides analysis of contemporary regional developments for decision-makers.

The meeting focused on the current situation in Gaza, as well as the immediate challenges facing Gazans. There is significant fear over the possibility of a widespread outbreak of infectious disease amongst the population.

Many Gazans face unimaginable overcrowding, with no personal space, living under canvas. The limited availability of food has enhanced these desperate circumstances, and infrastructure has been destroyed. Participants in the discussion worried that it will take years to reconstruct Gaza and make it habitable again for the 2.3 million people living there.

Following on from the meeting, the Egyptian authorities are looking at constructing field hospitals in Gaza to alleviate some of the main challenges.