Helping Amina and other displaced people in Gaza with water and hygiene

In a crowded encampment in Khan Younis, Gaza, amid bombardment, mass displacement and unimaginable hardship – Amina* tried to create a sense of normal life for her family. Outside their tent, she planted seeds, hoping they would sprout into something that can nourish her three children, or at least lift their spirits.

Clean water and hygiene essentials have been among Amina’s biggest challenges in displacement. “My children suffer from many diseases because we live in a tent that isn’t clean, in an environment that is dangerous and contaminated,” she said. What used to be simple – washing hands, keeping the children healthy – became a daily struggle.

The war displaced most Palestinians in Gaza and devastated the already poor water network, leaving families with only small quantities of water – just a few litres per person per day – the bare minimum for emergencies which is wholly inadequate to sustain life over two years.

In June 2025, with support from the occupied Palestinian territory Humanitarian Fund (oPt HF), Save the Children and its local partner, the Beit Lahia Development Association (BLDA), distributed water and menstrual health management kits in Deir al Balah.

When Amina received her family kit, she said it came at the perfect time. “Most of the items were things we do not have and things you cannot find in the market. Even if you find them, they are too expensive to buy,” she explained. With this help, she could water her plants outside the tent.

Amina was not alone. The project reached over 500 families with clean water, hygiene kits, and improved sanitation. Women, children, and entire displaced families – including people with disabilities – received support that made daily life a little safer and helped protect them from disease.

This kind of assistance helps ease some of the daily struggles of displacement. Access to clean water and basic hygiene supplies cannot erase the hardships families face, but it helps them cope and safeguard their children’s health in a situation where so much else remains beyond their control.

* Name has been changed to protect her safety and privacy.