The world has failed to stop Israel. Now we have only two options: leave or die.
For a moment, these cruel scenes remind us of the first months of the war, when Israeli forces, for the first time, forced the city's residents to flee south under the threat of a ground invasion. The sky then looked the same as it does now: gray and covered with thick smoke, signaling imminent danger. People's faces reflected the same unbearable anxiety and fear, only now the concern is more acute: we fear that this time we will be forced to leave Gaza City forever, never to be allowed to return.
Israeli forces began their operation by intensifying military pressure along multiple axes in the north, east, and south of the city, including neighborhoods such as Al-Zaitoun, Tel al-Hawa, Al-Sabra, and Sheikh Radwan, with the apparent goal of completely surrounding the city and confining its residents to a specific area and forcing them to move south.
These neighborhoods have witnessed intense artillery bombardment and airstrikes, as well as the destruction of entire residential blocks by Israeli robots carrying tons of explosives, in addition to intense fire from Israeli tanks and drones. This has led to a large-scale displacement of residents to the central and western areas of the city, which are already overcrowded and continue to be considered dangerous war zones by the Israeli military. The threat of invasion looms at any moment.
Forced displacement has further exacerbated the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, who are already mentally, physically, emotionally, and economically exhausted after enduring 23 months of continuous genocide. Most families in Gaza City had been displaced to the south for over 15 months and were only able to return during the January 2025 ceasefire. They have not forgotten what it was like to live in tents without the basics. They still vividly remember being displaced, bombed, and starved in areas Israel claimed were safe. Furthermore, their longing for their homes and neighborhoods remains unfulfilled.
Many of these families tried to resist by staying in their homes, but this time the Israeli forces left them with no choice: die or leave, although leaving is almost as terrible as death. Over the past week, many have been evacuated under intense bombardment, and their concern for mere survival has prevented them from taking even the most basic items, such as food, clothing, and mattresses. They were later forced to buy these items again at exorbitant prices in the informal economy. Those who were "lucky" enough to save some belongings from their homes faced high transportation costs: up to $150 for a donkey cart and $250 for a vehicle.
Adding to this suffering is the grueling struggle of the homeless. Most families in Gaza City were forced to venture into the unknown, and many ended up on the streets with nowhere to go. A single tent now costs $1000, far beyond the reach of most families, as the war has destroyed their livelihoods and driven poverty to unbearable levels. Even when a tent is obtained, finding a place to set it up is another challenge, as the central and western areas of Gaza City are already crowded with the tents of displaced families from the northern provinces of Gaza, as well as the eastern neighborhoods of Gaza City, following the start of the Israeli military operation "Gideon's Chariots," launched in May 2025.
Some families headed directly south, driven by threats from the Israeli army and its claims of space, tents, and aid available, only to find an even worse situation. Israeli forces are now taking control of two of the largest towns in the south, Khan Younis and Rafah, while the population is crowded into the central province and al-Mawasi, near Khan Younis, with insufficient space to set up tents for those displaced from Gaza City.
Abed Abo Laban, 19, said he and his family initially refused to leave their home in Al-Zaitoun despite the danger. “The artillery bombardment was intense, and shrapnel was scattering across our roof. Quadcopters were firing randomly and even burned neighboring tents, but we stayed because we had nowhere else to go,” he said.
Abo Laban recounted that they only left after an Israeli drone attacked their home, killing his brother and father. "We realized that if we hadn't left, we would all have died like them," he said.
Abo Laban and his family fled south to Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, but found nowhere to pitch their tent. “The Israelis claim there is space in the south, but that is the biggest lie I have ever heard. There was absolutely no space; we sat on the sand of Al-Mawasi beach, helpless and exhausted, with nowhere to put our tent,” he said. “The area was overcrowded, with tents pitched side by side. There was no privacy, no clean water, no sewage system, and it was infested with insects and flies.”
Mohamed Alkateeb, 46, who lives in central Gaza City, said he has begun packing his belongings, preparing for an evacuation order at any moment. “The thought of leaving my home, fearing I might never be able to return, and venturing into the unknown, with nowhere to go, not even a tent, and with winter approaching, is unbearable. If it were up to me, I would stay; I would prefer death to displacement, which is like dying slowly. But when you have children, everything changes. Now I am forced to leave to protect them as best I can,” he said.
The Israeli army continues with its plan, and it seems nothing can stop it from wiping Gaza City off the map, massacring its population, and displacing us. Now, Israel wants to push us south, but no one knows where we will end up next. We have pleaded with the world in every way possible to intervene, to protect us, to recognize our right to live with dignity, but it seems all our efforts have failed. We are left helpless and desperate, awaiting the next chapter of torture and suffering in exile, with no end in sight.
