Gaza Palestinian American Association Darussalam Camp for the Displaced
Project Summary
After more than fourteen months of war in Gaza, hundreds of thousands of families have been forced from their homes with nowhere safe to go. In response, the Gaza Palestinian American Association (GPAA), in partnership with Darussalam Masjid in California, has built a full displacement camp to provide shelter, security, and a measure of stability to families with nothing left.
The camp covers roughly 5,000 square meters and houses approximately 100 tents, sheltering around 600 people. It is located in an area currently classified as safe. Beyond shelter, the camp is designed to deliver the basic humanitarian services families need to survive the present and begin recovering for the longer term.
What the camp provides
A camp like this addresses needs that go well beyond a roof over someone’s head. The most immediate benefits include:
- Physical safety. A designated, organized space reduces the constant pressure of further displacement and offers families some protection from the surrounding instability.
- Basic needs. The camp provides food, clean water, shelter, and access to medical care — the essentials of survival.
- Emotional support and community. Living among other displaced families, with shared spaces and shared routines, helps people cope with the trauma of what they have lost.
- Mental health services. Trained professionals are available to support residents living with the psychological weight of war and displacement.
- Child protection. Designated child-friendly spaces and structured activities give children some buffer from the worst of their surroundings and a place to be children, even briefly.
- Education and skills training. Children who have been out of school for more than fourteen months receive structured learning, while adults have access to vocational training that may help them rebuild a livelihood.
- A sense of community. A well-run camp is more than a collection of tents — it becomes a small neighborhood where neighbors support one another and a measure of normal life returns.
Funding
Between November 2024 and March 2026, GPAA disbursed a total of $225,000 to support the camp’s daily operations, delivered across eleven separate fund transfers under signed Charitable Service Agreements.
