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DRC Report Warns of Expanding “Yellow Line” and Dire Camp Conditions in Gaza
By Drooid · · How we work
New Findings on Displacement
The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) released a report titled *Confined by Design: The Human Cost of Protracted Displacement in Gaza*. It alleges that Israel is pursuing a “policy of protracted displacement” by extending the so-called “Yellow Line” westward toward the coast. According to the DRC, the line now confines roughly 30 % of Gaza’s territory, squeezing displaced families into a shrinking area.
Context and Timeline
The report was published nearly three years after the October 7 date that the DRC cites as the trigger for the conflict, and a year after the October 10 cease-fire plan that was intended to end hostilities. The DRC’s assessment follows earlier observations by the United Nations and other NGOs that the Yellow Line has been moving west, though the Israeli government has offered slightly different figures.
Camp Living Conditions – Key Statistics
- About 1.8 million Palestinians (?86 % of Gaza’s population) remain in displacement sites.
- 80 % of surveyed residents reported water shortages for drinking and washing.
- Only 36 % of camps have a designated site manager to coordinate services.
- More than 4,000 chickenpox cases were recorded in Khan Younis camps in July.
- Hospital capacity is reduced, with roughly half of hospitals and just over a third of primary-care centers still operating.
- Shared latrines and outdoor cesspits raise the risk of gender-based violence and disease.
Official Positions
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the portion of Gaza inside the Yellow Line currently stands at 60 % rather than the previously cited 70 %, and he affirmed plans to expand the area further. The Israeli government has not issued a comment on the DRC’s specific findings.
Recommendations and Outlook
The DRC and the Agricultural Development Association (PARC) call on all conflict parties, especially the Israeli authorities as the occupying power, to:
- Fully uphold cease-fire pledges and end attacks on civilians and humanitarian workers.
- Guarantee unhindered humanitarian access, including for “dual-use” supplies such as medical items and fuel.
- Halt further expansion of the Yellow Line and disclose any future routes transparently.
- Cease construction of permanent military infrastructure in the zone and provide credible assurances that current troop positions are temporary.
The report warns that donor and political attention has waned despite the persistence of these humanitarian challenges.