Gaza Zoo Struggles to Save Animals Amid War

Children visiting a zoo near Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp are greeted by a heartbreaking sight: lions, chimpanzees and other animals weakened by hunger, stress and years of conflict. Despite severe shortages of food, medicine and vaccines, many of the animals have survived through the efforts of zoo owner Mahmoud Gomaa.

Gomaa previously operated his zoo in Rafah but was forced to flee when Israeli troops moved into parts of the southern Gaza city in 2024. Determined to save as many animals as possible, he transported the surviving animals from one location to another before eventually finding a new site in Nuseirat, central Gaza.

Earlier this year, he reopened the Gaza zoo, hoping to provide children with a rare opportunity for enjoyment and distraction after years of war, displacement and destruction.

“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 told Reuters.

Before the Israel-Hamas war, several zoos operated across Gaza, housing animals such as lions, eagles, crocodiles and ostriches. Today, keeping these facilities running has become increasingly difficult as the territory continues to face shortages affecting both people and animals.

Veterinarian Nidal Fadel said zoo animals are often being fed frozen meat because of limited supplies. He warned that the lack of proper nutrition and veterinary care poses serious risks to their health.

The conflict has also directly affected the animals. When Gomaa fled Rafah, he was forced to leave behind three lions, crocodiles and African ostriches. When he later returned, he found only the bones of the crocodiles and ostriches, while the lions had disappeared.

Animal welfare experts say the constant explosions and fighting can also cause severe stress. In Nuseirat, however, the zoo still offers children a brief escape. Visitors can interact with parrots and smaller monkeys, providing a rare moment of joy amid Gaza’s rubble, tents and ongoing uncertainty.