Escape in the Dark: Palestinians Flee Under Bombardment in Search of Safety

30th March 2025

5 minutes read

Escape in the Dark: Palestinians Flee Under Bombardment in Search of Safety

The American newspaper The New York Times reported that as the Israeli military offensive on Gaza escalates, many Palestinian families have once again been forced to flee their homes—homes they had only recently returned to during the temporary ceasefire.

The report stated that Israeli forces expanded their attacks in both the southern and northern parts of the Gaza Strip and issued new evacuation orders, forcing hundreds of families to leave their homes suddenly.

Mass Exodus from Rafah

In Rafah, a city in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, Israeli military strikes have driven thousands of families to flee from the Tel Al-Sultan neighborhood, near the Egyptian border.

On Sunday, residents were forced to flee on foot before Israeli forces completely sealed off the area later that same day.

The newspaper noted that many of these displaced individuals had experienced a similar ordeal at the beginning of the war in Gaza. They had to walk along designated paths amid heavy bombardment, carrying only the bare minimum of their personal belongings. This latest displacement comes during Ramadan, a time when Muslims observe fasting during daylight hours.

Deteriorating Humanitarian Conditions

According to the report, those who fled Tel Al-Sultan headed north to Khan Younis, where they faced severe shortages of essential aid and shelter.

A local administration in Rafah confirmed that the displaced people found themselves without shelter, as there were no tents or necessary supplies available to accommodate them.

Ceasefire Collapse and Renewed Violence

The renewed Israeli assault on Gaza last week followed the collapse of negotiations to extend the temporary ceasefire with Hamas. The agreement, which began in mid-January, was intended to pave the way for ending the war that broke out after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

As the second phase of negotiations stalled, violence reignited across the Gaza Strip.

Rising Death Toll

On Monday, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that 61 people had been killed in Israeli airstrikes the previous day.

The total death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 50,000 since the war began approximately 18 months ago. This figure does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Journalists Targeted and Killed

In a statement on Sunday, the Israeli army claimed that its forces had killed several fighters in Tel Al-Sultan and had destroyed a site allegedly used as a command and control center by Hamas. However, Israel provided no evidence to support these claims, and they have not been independently verified.

In a separate incident, journalist Hossam Shabat, who contributed to war coverage for Al Jazeera, was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his car in northern Gaza.

According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, the number of journalists killed since the war began has risen to 208. Israel has not provided any response regarding these incidents.

Tight Siege and Repeated Tragedies

The American newspaper reported that on Sunday, Gaza’s Civil Defense confirmed that the siege imposed on Tel Al-Sultan has put the lives of approximately 50,000 people at risk. Many were unable to escape, while others refused to leave their homes. Some residents had only recently returned to their partially destroyed houses during the ceasefire, only to be displaced once again by the latest offensive.

Mustafa Jaber, a 36-year-old resident of Tel Al-Sultan, said he and his family were forced to walk for nearly six hours along a sandy road to escape the Israeli bombardment on Sunday morning.

He described the attack as sudden and violent, stating that Israeli tanks had taken control of the roads leading to the area.

Painful Scenes on the Path to Escape

As the Israeli assault continued, the army dropped leaflets ordering residents to evacuate via a designated route. Mustafa Jaber recounted that they walked northward under intense shelling, with tank fire and drone strikes targeting pedestrians, resulting in many injuries.

He added that many elderly individuals were unable to complete the journey and were left behind due to their frailty and inability to walk on the sandy terrain.

Families Separated and Humiliating Searches

Ahmed and Sanaa Al-Sayed were among those displaced on Sunday. They walked with their four children to a relative’s tent in Khan Younis.

Ahmed said he had hoped the second phase of negotiations would begin while they were still in their home in Rafah, but instead, he was shocked by the sudden escalation into a full-scale military operation.

Following the evacuation orders, Ahmed instructed his children to pack their clothes into their school bags.

According to The New York Times, some of the displaced were seen carrying terrified, crying children, while others dragged whatever belongings they could manage.

Ahmed recounted that Israeli drones followed them throughout their journey, hovering left and right, monitoring their every step.

At one point, their march was halted for an hour and a half when Israeli forces blocked the road. People pleaded with the Red Cross to help them reach safety.

Moments of Fear and Horror

While waiting, Ahmed Al-Sayed described how Israeli forces ordered women and children to sit on one side of the road, while the men were made to sit on the other.

He described the scene as terrifying, with mothers crying in fear for their older sons, worried they might be arrested or killed.

Ahmed said the soldiers forced him to strip off his clothes and blindfolded him for over an hour before finally releasing him.

When he was reunited with his wife and children, he said he heard nothing but the sounds of crying and saw only faces filled with fear and terror.

Sanaa Al-Sayed added that their son, Mohammed, completely broke down when he saw the lifeless body of a young boy. He began screaming hysterically before collapsing to the ground in the sand. Overwhelmed by grief, Sanaa could do nothing but cry alongside him.