Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing Khan Yunis, Gaza’s main southern city, and seeking refuge in Rafah, a city located less than 10 kilometers away on the territory’s closed border with Egypt. These displaced Palestinians have already been forced to flee once due to heavy fighting between Israel and Hamas in the north. Now, they find themselves in a dire situation, struggling to find shelter and food.
Ghassan Bakr, one of the displaced Palestinians, shared his experience, saying, “We arrived here with no shelter and got rained on last night. There isn’t anything to eat – no bread, no flour.” The grocery stores in Rafah, like elsewhere in Gaza, are empty. However, some farmers who can still cultivate their land manage to sell vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, and cabbages at the market.
The dire situation has led to the UN’s human rights chief describing the living conditions in Gaza as “utter, deepening horror.” The ongoing war has displaced around three-quarters of the territory’s 2.4 million people. The conflict was triggered by Hamas’s attack on Israel in October, resulting in the deaths of 240 people and over 1,200 casualties, mostly civilians.
In the sandy wasteland between half-finished buildings, displaced Palestinians have set up makeshift tents. These tents provide some form of shelter, but the conditions are far from ideal. Laundry lines are strung between the tents, and suitcases and stacks of firewood can be seen scattered around. Displaced individuals wander about with jerrycans, desperately searching for water.
Khamis Al-Dalu expressed his frustration with the situation, asking, “There have been bombardments, destruction, leaflets dropping, threats and phone calls to evacuate and leave Khan Yunis, but to go where?” More than 80 percent of Gazans are either refugees or descendants of refugees who were driven out or left their land when Israel was founded in 1948. The question of where they can go for safety remains unanswered.
The fighting in Khan Yunis continues, with a few remaining residents navigating the rubble left by Israeli strikes. The injured are being transported to hospitals, while those who have survived raids express their devastation and the need for assistance. Amal Mahdi, one of the survivors, pleaded, “We need someone to help us, to find a solution for us to get out of this situation.”
In an apparent reference to the October 7 attack by Hamas, the Israeli army dropped leaflets over Khan Yunis inscribed with a verse from the Qur’an: “And the flood seized them while they were wrongdoers.” This action has left many displaced Palestinians questioning its purpose and feeling further victimized. Umm Shadi Abu el-Tarabeech, who was displaced from the north, asked, “What did we do wrong? We don’t have guns, we’re not terrorists, and we haven’t done anything bad. We’re defenseless civilians.”
The situation in Gaza is dire, with displaced Palestinians struggling to find basic necessities and facing ongoing violence. The international community must step in to provide aid and support to these vulnerable individuals. Immediate action is needed to ensure their safety and well-being. The plight of the displaced Palestinians serves as a reminder of the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Gaza.