Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS):  1.1 million Palestinians are in Rafah Governorate

Gaza Strip has been suffering from an unprecedented brutal aggression and systematic genocide since October 7^th, 2023, leading to the forced displacement of residents from the northern and central areas of Gaza Strip to its southern areas, especially to Rafah Governorate, which is now overcrowded with internally displaced persons. Rafah Governorate also suffers from fierce attacks by the Israeli occupation and its continuous threats of invasion. Gaza Strip, during the aggression, witnessed structural changes in the pattern and distribution of the population in its governorates as a result of the blatant targeting of all areas of Gaza Strip, despite the limited return of citizens to their original places of residence in the northern and central areas of Gaza Strip.

The estimated population residing in Rafah Governorate as of April 22^nd, 2024 is approximately 1.1 million individuals living in an area of 63.1 square kilometers. The population density in Rafah on the eve of the aggression was 4,360 individuals per square kilometer, while it has now reached approximately 17,500 individuals per square kilometer, which constitutes a humanitarian and environmental disaster and puts immense pressure on scarce services and the ability to access the most basic means of life in the midst of the aggression, In addition, the estimated population residing in Gaza and North Gaza Governorates is approximately 511 thousands and 685 thousands in Khan Yunis and the middle of Gaza Strip, taking into account the instability of displacement movement.

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics prepared estimates on the number of citizens residing in Rafah Governorate based on actual data sets that monitored the reality in Gaza Strip before and during the aggression, using data from several supportive sources within the National Statistical System, in addition to population estimates that are issued by PCBS.