Palestinians in Gaza Fear Another “Nakba” Amid Escalating Conflict
Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza City are fleeing south along Salah al-Din road, the only route out of the besieged city, as Israeli tanks continue their advance into the Gaza Strip. The scenes of destruction and death left behind have left many fearing a new “Nakba,” the term used to describe the mass dispossession of Palestinians during the establishment of Israel in 1948.
One woman, who identified herself as Um Hassan, expressed her fear and desperation upon crossing into southern Gaza from the north. “What do things look like behind us? Destruction and death. We left in fear,” she said, emphasizing the plight of the poor Palestinian people whose homes have been destroyed. She referred to this as a second Nakba, as the memories of the 1948 war still haunt Palestinians, with many worried that if they are forced from their homes now, they will never be allowed to return.
Israel’s primary objective in the current conflict is to destroy Hamas, which it accuses of killing 1,400 people and abducting 240 others in an attack on October 7. However, health authorities in Gaza claim that Israeli bombardment has resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 Palestinians since then.
In recent weeks, Israeli forces have been urging Palestinians to leave northern Gaza for the south, promising that they will be able to return home once the conflict concludes. However, as the fighting intensifies in Gaza City, a significant number of people have started to move southward.
Khaled Abu Issa, a resident of Beach Refugee Camp near Gaza City, described the difficult decision to leave his neighborhood after it was repeatedly targeted by artillery. “It was a very hard departure. I was sitting safely at home and Israel came and displaced me again,” he lamented.
The majority of Palestinians in Gaza are registered as refugees, as their ancestors fled their homes within Israel’s borders during the 1948 war. Since October 7, more than half of the population in Gaza has been displaced.
Several individuals who have traveled south reported witnessing decomposed bodies along the roadside, causing terror and distress among both adults and children. “While walking, we saw decomposed bodies. They were civilians like us, not military vehicles or Hamas fighters,” Abu Issa recalled.
Most of those fleeing are on foot, carrying whatever belongings they can. As they pass Israeli tanks at the frontline, they raise their arms to show their identity cards. However, once they reach southern Gaza, they find a shortage of vehicles with fuel, forcing many to continue their journey on foot until they can find a new place to seek shelter.
The situation remains dire for Palestinians in Gaza, with no immediate resolution in sight. Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien.
