As Israeli military operations intensify and expand in the Gaza Strip, fresh evacuation orders have uprooted Palestinians who had only recently returned, forcing them to flee once again, Reuters reports.
The Israeli military on Wednesday dropped leaflets ordering residents in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza and Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip to evacuate. As a result, tens of thousands of people were once again displaced.
"The Israeli military dropped leaflets in our area, ordering residents to evacuate, calling it a dangerous war zone. They warned that anyone staying would have to bear the consequences. We also heard that Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun had been declared military zones, so we decided to leave. Now we're here -- an empty place. There's nothing here. The leaflets told us to move west of Gaza City, and that's exactly where we are. But there's no water, no electricity, no way to charge our phones -- there's just nothing," said Mustafa Naim, a displaced Palestinian.
The sudden arrival of a cold wave has worsened the already dire situation. Those forced to flee have little more than flimsy tents and blankets to shield them from the harsh weather.
Meanwhile, the escalating conflict has severely hindered humanitarian aid efforts, leaving displaced Gazans struggling with hunger and freezing temperatures.
"This is the eighth time I've been forced to flee. From Beit Hanoun to Beit Lahia, then Nuseirat, Rafah, Deir al-Balah, back to Beit Hanoun, and now Gaza City. Eight times. I have no money for transportation, no money to buy flour, not even the basics to survive. There are no essentials here at all," said Nargis Ashour, another displaced Palestinian.
"I fled from Beit Hanoun and have stayed here for three days. Israeli forces drove us out, so we came here, hoping to find a place to stay. But all we found was mess and devastation. Ruins are everywhere. We tried to make this place livable, but it's impossible. Even setting up a temporary toilet is a huge struggle. Nothing about this is easy," said Hamed al-Kafarneh, another displaced Palestinian.
Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on Tuesday after a ceasefire that began on Jan 19 unraveled. The Hamas-run Gaza media office said in a statement on Thursday that the death toll from the renewed Israeli strikes in Gaza has risen to 591, in addition to 1,042 wounded.
