Dozens of displaced men from Gaza are living in temporary conditions in the occupied West Bank after being unable to return home since the war in Gaza began around 7 October 2023. Multiple reports describe Gazans taking shelter under or beneath stadium bleachers and in a former changing room, where they remain blocked from going back due to continuing fighting and related restrictions.
Accounts describe men who were away from Gaza when the escalation began, including those who had worked odd jobs elsewhere. One example is Sameer Abu Salah, 54, who had been working informal work in Tel Aviv before moving to Nablus in the occupied West Bank. He is now trapped there and living in the makeshift accommodation near the stadium. The sources characterize the situation as one of long-term displacement rather than short-term refuge, emphasizing that many residents have “no home left” in practice because they cannot safely access their homes in Gaza.
