Chaos and fear have engulfed the besieged enclave of Gaza as the Israeli military issued an order for 1.1 million civilians to relocate from the north to the south within 24 hours. The directive, which came on Friday, has added to the already tense atmosphere in Gaza following last week’s unprecedented attack by Hamas on southern Israel. As Israel prepares for a potential ground invasion, residents in northern Gaza are left grappling with confusion and uncertainty.
The Hamas Authority for Refugee Affairs has urged residents in the north to “remain steadfast in your homes and to stand firm in the face of this disgusting psychological war waged by the occupation.” Meanwhile, residents in Gaza City have started packing up their belongings and evacuating towards the south in any available vehicles. However, the lack of clear information due to internet outages and collapsed phone networks has left many Palestinians unaware of the evacuation orders.
The mass movement of 1.1 million people presents significant challenges for a territory already devastated by years of blockade. Safwat al-Kahlout, reporting from northern Gaza, highlighted the lack of resources for such an evacuation, stating, “They don’t have enough facilities to move, how can they move? Donkeys? They don’t have enough donkeys. Cars? There are not enough cars. There is no fuel for vehicles to move for seven days now.” The situation is reminiscent of the mass exodus of Arabs from Palestine in 1948.
As panic and confusion spread, UN officials and aid workers in Gaza City described the situation as “chaos.” Nebal Farsakh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent, expressed the desperation of the situation, saying, “Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel, the only concern now is just if you’ll make it, if you’re going to live.” Additionally, the current conditions make it impossible to safely evacuate all 1.1 million people, leaving hospital patients and their dedicated medical staff in a precarious situation.
Israel, in its statement to civilians, justified the evacuation as a matter of “safety” and announced plans to “operate significantly in Gaza City” in the coming days. However, Basem Naim, the head of Hamas’s political and international relations bureau, made it clear that Palestinians are not willing to leave their homes, stating, “We are not going to leave. We are not ready to repeat the Nakba again.”
The unfolding situation in Gaza has global implications, with the potential for further escalation and humanitarian crisis. The international community must pay close attention to the plight of the Palestinian people and work towards a peaceful resolution to avoid further suffering and loss of life.
