Jabalia refugee camp was established in 1948 by the
United Nations to house those displaced by the
1948 Palestinian expulsion. It was originally composed of tents and other temporary structures. Over time, the population grew and the camp developed into a densely populated urban area with multi-story buildings. Before the
Gaza war, the camp was the largest refugee camp in Palestine, with a population of about 100,000. Since the
Six-Day War in 1967, the camp was under
Israeli occupation along with the rest of the
Gaza Strip. About 2,000 people were displaced from the camp. A UN spokesman stated: "Last night, children were killed as they slept next to their parents on the floor of a classroom in a UN-designated shelter in Gaza. Children killed in their sleep; this is an affront to all of us, a source of universal shame. Today the world stands disgraced." Protestors at the camp participated in the
2023 Gaza economic protests against poor economic conditions in Gaza and Hamas mismanagement. Prior to the Gaza war, the UNRWA reported poor living conditions in the camp, including overcrowding, unsafe makeshift building add-ons, and "substandard conditions" for many who lived in the camp. Other problems faced by people living there included a high unemployment rate, electricity outages, contaminated water supply (90% of water was deemed "unfit for human consumption"), and unavailability of construction materials. An Israeli air strike on 31 October 2023 killed at least 50 Palestinians and trapped more than 100 beneath the rubble, according to the
Gaza Health Ministry. The
Indonesia Hospital said most casualties were women and children. Survivors and videos detailed massive destruction of homes and businesses, and the
Gaza Interior Ministry stated the camp had been "completely destroyed," with preliminary estimates of about 400 wounded or dead.
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari confirmed that Israeli fighter jets attacked the refugee camp, stating that the attack killed a Hamas commander who led the
October 7 attacks, along with dozens of Palestinian militants, and destroyed
Palestinian tunnels. Hamas said none of its commanders were present and that Israel was using these claims as an excuse for the attack.
2024 The Israeli army withdrew from the refugee camp on 6 February 2024.
Al Jazeera journalist
Anas al-Sharif reported that all that remained was total destruction, with one resident of the area stating there was "not a single habitable house" remaining in Jabalia. On 12 May 2024, Israeli forces reportedly attacked the refugee camp again. Footage showed Israel dropping bombs on the camp, and using tanks to enter it. The Israeli military said it destroyed over 10 kilometers of
tunnels beneath Jabalia that it said the militants used. Civil defence crews reportedly uncovered 120 bodies in the aftermath of the withdrawal. In June 2024, Palestinian municipal authorities declared the camp a
disaster area. In October 2024, the Israeli military attacked the camp, killing at least 33 people and wounding 85, including children. In December 2024, it was reported that there were very few families left in the camp. ==Notable people==