Children sleep in chicken cages in Rafah, as families grow desperate for shelter

Finding shelter in the Gaza Strip, whether in a basic tent on the street or in an overcrowded classroom, has become a luxury for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians.

Around 1.5 million people have sought refuge in Rafah, an area spanning just 64 sqkm, and are now struggling to find enough space to even put up a tent due to extreme overcrowding.

Middle East Eye spoke to one of five families who sought refuge in a farm in Rafah, where they have turned open chicken cages into beds for their children.  

"We decided to come to this farm because we could not find any other place to go to," said Rafat Lukman, whose family of 32 includes newborns and small children.

"We came here thinking that we can put up with it for a few days, but this war has taken much longer. I cannot believe that my own children are sleeping in cages where chickens slept. I look at them and my heart breaks for the childhood I am giving them. But what else could I do?"

You can read the full report by journalist Hala Alsafadi below. 

Read more: Children sleep in chicken cages in Rafah as families grow desperate for shelter