Marooned in a corner of southern Gaza, the Abu Jarad family adheres to a strict survival routine.

Forced to abandon their comfortable three-bedroom home in northern Gaza due to the Israel-Hamas conflict that erupted almost three months ago, the 10-member family now crams into a 16-square-meter (172-square-foot) tent on a litter-strewn sandy plot. This makeshift dwelling is part of a vast encampment hosting displaced Palestinians.

Each family member has a daily assignment, ranging from gathering twigs for cooking fires to scouring the city's markets for vegetables. Despite their best efforts, the veneer of normalcy cannot conceal their desperate situation.

In the evening, Awatif Abu Jarad, an elder in the family, grimly remarks, "Dogs are circling the tents. We are living in dire conditions, akin to dogs."

For Palestinians seeking sanctuary in southern Gaza, every day unfolds as a challenging quest for food, water, medicine, and functional bathrooms. Their existence is shadowed by the constant fear of Israeli airstrikes and the looming threat of diseases.

Israel's ongoing bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza, now into its 13th week, have compelled the majority of Palestinians to seek refuge in the southern city of Rafah, bordering Egypt. The area, initially home to around 280,000 residents, has seen its population surge to over 1 million in recent days, as reported by the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.

Rafah's apartment blocks are bursting at the seams with people, often extended families generously opening their doors to displaced relatives. To the west of the city, a multitude of nylon tents have emerged, while thousands more endure the cool and rainy winter weather, sleeping in the open.

With the Israeli army asserting control over most of northern Gaza and issuing evacuation orders throughout the conflict, Palestinians have been compelled to converge in the southern regions, including Rafah and the adjacent area known as Muwasi. However, even these supposedly secure spaces are not immune to the impact of airstrikes and shelling, further complicating the plight of civilians seeking safety.

The conflict erupted on Oct. 7 when Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 casualties and the abduction of 240 individuals. The Health Ministry in the Hamas-governed territory reports that the fighting has claimed the lives of over 22,400 Palestinians, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants.

According to Nouman, Awatif's brother, the family's journey traversed the entire length of Gaza. They fled Beit Hanoun, their home in the northern border town, on the war's first day, seeking refuge with a relative in nearby Beit Lahia.

Escalating Israeli strikes prompted a move south to Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City after six days.

Following the evacuation of the hospital, they undertook a 10-kilometer (6-mile) journey on foot to the Nuseirat urban refugee camp in central Gaza.

Having spent over two months in a cramped U.N. school building in Nuseirat, the family departed on Dec. 23 as the Israeli army shifted its focus toward Hamas targets in central Gaza refugee camps.

Opting for what they believed to be the safest option, they sought refuge in Muwasi on Dec. 23.

The initial night was spent under the open sky, prompting them to purchase nylon and wood from a Rafah market the next day to construct a makeshift tent.

Nouman, an accountant, along with his wife, sister, six daughters, and one grandchild, now sleep on the nylon-covered floor inside the tent, adopting sideways positions to conserve space.

The tent itself, costing 1,000 shekels (approximately $276), reflects the economic challenges in Rafah's war-driven economy, where pre-built family tents now command prices ranging from $800 to $1,400.

Their daily struggles commence at 5:00 a.m., with Nouman kindling a small fire to prepare breakfast.

Simultaneously, his wife and daughters engage in tasks such as kneading dough for flatbread and cleaning utensils and the metal cooking griddle.

After eating, their attention turns to fetching water and food, tasks that take up most of the daylight hours.

Nouman said he and several of his younger relatives collect jugs of water from one of the public pipes nearby, water that is exclusively used for washing and not suitable for drinking.

Next, they head to one of the dozens of drinking water tankers dotted across the city, where they wait in line for hours.

A gallon of drinking water comes at the cost of one shekel, equivalent to 28 cents.

Some individuals, driven by desperation for cash, go as far as waiting in line simply to sell their spot.

Once the water is secured, family members navigate through various open markets in search of vegetables, flour, and canned goods for the evening meal.

Meanwhile, Nouman dedicates himself to scavenging the ground for twigs and bits of wood to create a fire.

The surge in food prices compounds the challenges faced by Gaza, grappling with severe shortages of food and medicine.

The region heavily relies on aid and supplies that trickle in through two crossings – one Egyptian and one Israeli – and what has been harvested in the recent crop.

As of late December, the United Nations reported that over half a million people in Gaza, approximately a quarter of the population, are grappling with starvation.

In Rafah, where Dalia Abu Samhadana seeks refuge with her uncle's family in a crowded house of 20, the local market offers only limited food staples such as tomatoes, onions, eggplants, oranges, and flour – all of which are virtually unaffordable. The stark reality of the situation highlights the pressing challenges faced by the residents.

A 25-kilogram (55-pound) bag of flour before Oct. 7 cost around $10. Since then it has fluctuated between $40 and $100. "My money has almost run out," said Abu Samhadana, unsure of how she will be able to feed her daughter.

Displaced Palestinians in Rafah are entitled to free aid if they register with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, which hands out flour, blankets, and medical supplies at 14 spots across southern Gaza.

They often spend hours in line waiting for the aid to be distributed.

Abu Samhadana, who is originally from the nearby southern town of Khan Younis, said she has tried to register for free aid several times but has been turned away due to the lack of available supplies.

The U.N. agency is simply overwhelmed and is already providing support to 1.8 million people in Gaza, according to Juliette Touma, its communications director. She said she did not know if the agency had stopped registering new aid seekers.

With few options left, some hungry Palestinians in Rafah have resorted to grabbing packages from aid trucks as they pass by.

The U.N. refugee agency confirmed that some supplies of aid had been snatched from moving trucks but did not provide any details.

Meanwhile, health officials warn of the growing spread of diseases, especially among children.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported tens of thousands of cases of upper respiratory infections, diarrhea, lice, scabies, chickenpox, skin rashes and meningitis in U.N. shelters.

The rapid spread of disease is mainly due to overcrowding and poor hygiene caused by a lack of toilets and water for washing.