Weary families trudge through Gaza streets, trying to flee the north before Israel’s invasion

Exhausted and anxious families in Gaza are embarking on a harrowing journey to escape the impending Israeli invasion in the north. Their stories are marked by desperation and the grim reality of life in a conflict zone.

Some left their homes with precious belongings tightly packed in suitcases—mementos of happier times, photographs, and cherished heirlooms. Others had only one concern: finding a safe haven. They resorted to loading foam mattresses onto car roofs, piling into buses, vans, cars, and even donkey-drawn carts. For many, however, walking was the only option, accompanied by weary family members navigating streets strewn with rubble.

Mohammad Hillis, now residing in a makeshift refugee camp in central Gaza, recounted their dire situation: “We left the house without food, without water, and without clothes. We left without taking anything with us.” He explained that approximately 150 people once inhabited his building in northern Gaza. The mass exodus was triggered by Israeli leaflets raining down from the sky, warning civilians to evacuate the north within 24 hours.

The Israeli statement accompanying these leaflets urged residents to “evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families and distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields.” It foreshadowed Israeli forces’ significant operations in northern Gaza in the coming days, hinting at an imminent land offensive following Hamas’ carefully planned attack on Israel.

These leaflets intensified the prevailing fear and chaos that Gaza had been grappling with since the onslaught of Israeli airstrikes in the aftermath of the attack. Within just 12 hours of the initial warnings, hundreds of thousands of people either fled their homes or were forced out due to the relentless airstrikes.

However, not everyone chose to leave. Some Gazans believed that the south offered no safer haven, and the distant prospect of reaching friends and family there discouraged them. Additionally, concerns over roads, which Israel had designated as evacuation routes but were frequently targeted by airstrikes, deterred many from fleeing.

Desperate Gazans sought refuge in places they hoped would escape Israeli attacks. Gaza City’s main hospital, for instance, became a makeshift sanctuary, with an estimated 35,000 seeking shelter on its grounds.

The sheer magnitude of the evacuation order, encompassing 1.1 million residents—roughly half of the territory’s population—stoked fears of a humanitarian catastrophe. Social media platforms were flooded with pleas for assistance, exemplifying the widespread panic and desperation.

As families prepared to flee, the historical echoes of displacement haunted many. Haifa Khamis al-Shurafa, assisting her 82-year-old father, reflected on their tragic journey. Her father had lived through the 1948 Nakba, the mass displacement when Israel was founded, as a young boy with his family. Now, as they prepared to leave once more, history seemed to be repeating itself.

The stories of Gazans like Al-Shurafa are infused with the memories and narratives of 1948, fueling suspicions about Israel’s intentions regarding the right of return for Palestinian refugees. Al-Shurafa, an architect married to a dentist, recently fled her upscale Gaza City neighborhood after an Israeli airstrike destroyed their apartment. They had only minutes to gather their children, important documents, and some clothing before their building was reduced to rubble. The pain of leaving their home, dreams, and life savings behind was immeasurable.

Amidst the darkness of the night, Al-Shurafa and her family could hear the distant echoes of shelling. With Israel severely limiting electricity to the Gaza Strip, they were left in an eerie silence and darkness.

“We don’t deserve this,” Al-Shurafa lamented. “We didn’t kill anyone.”

This heart-wrenching account sheds light on the human toll of the ongoing conflict, a stark reminder of the enduring suffering and displacement experienced by the people of Gaza.

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More about Humanitarian Crisis

• Gaza Crisis: Israeli Leaflets Urge Evacuation
• The 1948 Nakba: A Historical Perspective
• Challenges Faced by Gazans During Evacuation
• Humanitarian Conditions in Gaza City’s Main Hospital
• Emotions and Sentiments of Gazans Facing Displacement