Palestinian families are once again faced with displacement and uncertainty due to Israel's evacuation orders.
Palestinian Abu Usama Bahar said he has been displaced 15 times since the war began in 2023. Now, he is not sure where to go with his young children.
Following the Israeli army's evacuation order before military operations targeting Hamas, Palestinians in Gaza once again faced displacement. Abu Usama Bahar said he has been displaced 15 times since the war began in 2023. Now, he is not sure where to go with his young children. "What have we done to deserve this in this world? We are all civilians. We are all fleeing women and children," he said. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ordered Palestinians to immediately evacuate the areas of Shuja'iyya, Turkman, Zaytun, and Tuffah located in southeastern Gaza on Friday morning. Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas broke down last month, Israel has issued numerous evacuation orders throughout Gaza. Many Palestinians in northern Gaza are forced to choose between staying put despite the danger or being displaced once again. Amer al-Reefy, displaced from eastern Gaza, said, "We are calling out to Muslims. Have mercy on us," he said. "Please have mercy on us. We have been displaced billions of times and we do not know where to go." Following the collapse of the ceasefire, Israel launched a large-scale offensive operation to force Hamas to release more hostages. According to the United Nations (UN), approximately 400,000 people have been displaced following the new attacks. The war in Gaza began after Hamas fighters carried out an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, leading to the deaths of 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians. 251 hostages were taken, and most of them were released as part of negotiations between the two sides. There are 59 hostages remaining, and it is believed that 24 of them are still alive.