3,000 Jewish men were initially brought to Sidi Azaz, but the majority were released, leaving approximately 1,000 prisoners to labor at the camp, mostly building railroads and repairing roads.

[9][10] On June 28, 1942, colonial governor of Libya Ettore Bastico issued a decree that male Jews between 18 and 45 years of age in Italian North Africa would be forced to labor.

[6] A general census of the Jewish population was taken,[8] with all Jews having to declare their "personal data, residence, and profession" or be immediately sent to forced labor.

[11] Prisoners suffering from serious illness or physical disability were sent home by a medical commission, and wealthier Jews were also generally released, leaving behind approximately 1,000 mostly poorer, able-bodied and specialized Jewish men to labor at Sidi Azaz.

[6] Norman Stillman attributes the release of two-thirds of the prisoners at Sidi Azaz to "poor planning by the Italians," and Stanislao Pugliese explains that the camp lacked sufficient infrastructure for the 3,000 men initially recruited.

[12] After morning roll call, men were sent out to work in groups of approximately 50 to 60,[8][6] supervised by privileged overseeing prisoners (capi) as they fulfilled their daily quotas.

[6] As a result, a food relief effort was organized by the deputy of the Jewish community in Tripoli, particularly targeting the weakest inmates at risk of starvation in the camp.

[6] Jens Hoppe notes a subsidy of 59,859 lire ($498 USD) for "militarized and requisitioned workers" at Sidi Azaz listed in the Tripoli Jewish community's 1943 financial report.

[6] Only one shooting of an inmate at Sidi Azaz is known: Kamos Zakani,[b] employed as a clerk for the camp, was shot by an Italian guard in the context of a quarrel.

[10][9] Following westward advances against the Axis powers in Libya, the British Eighth Army liberated the Sidi Azaz camp in late January 1943.