Palestinians in North Gaza Resist Israeli Evacuation Directives Amid Fears of Airstrikes and Overpopulated Shelters

Despite the alarming warnings from Israel about an impending and increasingly intense military operation aimed at Hamas, Mahmoud Shalabi chose not to vacate his residence in northern Gaza.

Shalabi is an aid worker for Medical Aid for Palestinians, a U.K.-based nonprofit focused on healthcare, and is one of the numerous Palestinians who have opted to stay. Some, who initially complied with Israel’s directive to move to the southern part of the territory, have even returned. Israel regards individuals who stay in the north as potential accomplices to Hamas.

Shalabi and others have articulated that retreating to the south isn’t a rational option, given the ceaseless aerial attacks there. They cited poor living conditions in the southern shelters, including insufficient supplies of food and water, as influencing their decision to remain.

The potential risks of remaining in the north are expected to escalate, particularly if Israel initiates a ground assault. Recent weeks have seen devastating bombardments leading to a death toll exceeding 6,500 in Gaza, according to statistics from the Gaza Health Ministry, which is operated by Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has confirmed preparations for a possible ground operation, although he did not disclose the timing. Israel’s military aim is to neutralize Hamas, which they hold responsible for a violent October 7 assault on Israeli border towns.

Approximately 350,000 Palestinians continue to reside in northern Gaza. Israeli military commands have consistently encouraged this population to move southward but have not clarified whether the presence of a large civilian populace would affect the decision to deploy ground forces.

International human rights organizations have sharply criticized the Israeli evacuation directives, asserting that they do not offer a viable warning to civilians as required by international law due to limited options for relocation.

In the northern part, the large-scale evacuation has led to a significant degradation in essential services. Houses are devoid of electricity, water, and fuel. Amidst the deteriorating conditions, more than 1.4 million residents of Gaza are displaced within the strip, out of a total population of 2.3 million.

Those who have chosen to remain are living in extremely challenging conditions, such as collapsed neighborhoods and depleted local supplies. Shalabi mentioned walking for two hours to find an operational bakery to feed his family, who are subsisting on canned food.

Financial resources are dwindling, and access to basic utilities such as ATMs is practically nonexistent. Meanwhile, Shifa Hospital in Gaza City is overcrowded and at the brink of shutting down due to fuel shortages, affecting its ability to treat the continuously incoming injured individuals.

Despite the arduous conditions, many are opting to return to the north, weary of the incessant movement from one location to another due to airstrikes. United Nations monitors estimate that approximately 30,000 have returned.

Ekhlas Ahmed, who is eight months pregnant, is one of those who have returned to the north after initially fleeing. She had to come back after the building where she took refuge in the south was targeted in an Israeli airstrike.

Reported by Magdy from Cairo, with contributions from Big Big News writer Jack Jeffrey in Cairo.

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More about Palestinian Evacuation Resistance in North Gaza

• Medical Aid for Palestinians
• United Nations Humanitarian Affairs
• Gaza Health Ministry Statistics
• Israeli Government Statements
• International Law and Armed Conflict
• Big Big News Coverage on Israel-Hamas War
• United Nations Reports on Gaza
• Human Rights Watch on Israel and Palestine
• Shifa Hospital Information
• Current State of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict