- Zoo owner Mahmoud Gomaa fled Rafah in 2024 due to Israeli attacks, leaving behind animals.
- As of August 2026, children visiting the zoo found animals malnourished and stressed due to the ongoing war.
- Veterinarian Nidal Fadel stated that owners are currently feeding the animals frozen meat, which is a catastrophe and a wrong nutritional plan.
- Gomaa expressed that in the beginning of the war, he was focused on saving the animals more than saving himself.
- When Gomaa fled Rafah, he had to leave behind three lions, several crocodiles, and some African ostriches.
- Bombing and constant conflict create enormous stress and fear for the animals, according to Gomaa.
- Visitor Karam Al-Mazin noted that there is currently no avenue for children to play, only rubble and tents.
In Gaza, the ongoing conflict has severely impacted the local zoo, where animals are suffering from malnutrition and stress. Zookeeper Mahmoud Gomaa, who fled Rafah during the war, is dedicated to their survival despite dwindling resources.4
"In the beginning of the war people were looking for a way to survive ... and I was looking for a way to save the animals more than saving myself," Gomaa stated.
Veterinarian Nidal Fadel noted that the animals are currently fed frozen meat, which is inadequate for their health.3
"This is a catastrophe and a wrong nutritional plan because in nature they eat fresh prey," Fadel explained.
The zoo, located near Nuseirat refugee camp, has become a somber reflection of the war's toll, with children witnessing the plight of a lion and listless chimpanzees.
Gomaa, who lost several animals during his flight from Rafah, returned to find only bones of the crocodiles and ostriches he had to leave behind.
"Bombing and constant conflict create enormous stress and fear for them," he added.6
The war has also stripped children of safe recreational spaces, as visitor Karam Al-Mazin lamented, "Today there is no avenue for children to play... there is nothing except rubble, stones and tents, so children today are bored and are in a difficult situation."7
“As children visit the zoo, they find animals like a lion and chimpanzees showing signs of malnutrition due to food shortages. Zookeeper Mahmoud Gomaa, who fled Rafah, emphasizes the emotional toll of constant conflict on the animals, stating, 'Bombing and constant conflict create enormous stress and fear for them.'”
