Israel has ordered the evacuation of a million Palestinians to southern Gaza, as the army prepares its ground offensive. Thousands of Gazans have already fled but many of them do not know where to go. And there are those who can’t leave
Thousands of residents were evacuated from the Gaza City Strip, in particularly dangerous conditions. The call to evacuate concerns the entire north of the Palestinian enclave. In total, more than a million Palestinians, or half of the Gazan population, must leave at the request of the Israeli army, which is preparing its ground offensive.
>> War between Israel and Hamas: what we know about the Israeli order to immediately evacuate Gaza City
Sarah, 26, had to leave the apartment where she was taking refuge with her parents in the north of Gaza in the middle of the night and at full speed. At 2 a.m., when they receive messages calling to evacuate the area, they hesitate. Myis facing the threat of an imminent ground attack, they hit the road, in tears and terrified.
“We were in a state of confusion, total panic”
Sarah, a Palestinianat franceinfo
Sarah and her family managed to find refuge in the south of the Gaza Strip. Especially since not all Gazans have an address to go to in the south, to visit relatives, but without being sure of being safe. “We heard a bombing,” she says. “The electricity is cut off and we are using alternative means, generators.”
Everyone is afraid and wondering about what will happen next. “Maybe they’ll evacuate all of Gaza and move us somewhere else again,” Sarah supposes. “I have a hard time imagining two million people crammed into just the south of the Gaza Strip. It’s crazy. .”
The evacuees do not all know where to sleep
Especially since not all Gazans have a place to take refuge in the south of the territory. Izz was able to join relatives, mbut he explains that for many of his neighbors, the situation is even more complicated. “People had panic attacks, they were terrified. Some went to the south of the enclave but many do not know where they will stay once they have a place, and not everyone will find it.”
>> The evacuation of a million residents of Gaza is “totally unrealistic”, reacts a former UN official in Gaza
Moreover, when Israel gave the order to evacuate, Léo Cans, head of mission at Doctors Without Borders in the Palestinian territories, found it hard to believe it. “This is an evacuation order that is totally irresponsible, totally reckless and seriously endangers human lives.” He denounces this instruction which concerns the entire population, including patients and healthcare staff. He judges “inconceivable to think that hospitals with 300, 400 or 500 beds can be evacuated.” For him, itt is a humanitarian catastrophe that is worsening before our eyes.