GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip. Naji Jamal, a 34-year-old health clinic worker in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, faced a heart-wrenching dilemma as the Israeli army’s ultimatum loomed. Should he heed the call to evacuate and risk homelessness in Gaza’s south, or stay in his building, now designated a target zone, amid the threat of an Israeli ground invasion?
“It’s an existential question, but there is no answer,” Jamal lamented. “There is no safe haven, there is no place that is not being shelled and besieged, there is no place to go.”
The Israeli military gave Jamal and 1.1 million other Palestinians in northern Gaza and Gaza City 24 hours to decide in an unprecedented order. It came as a response to Hamas’ brutal attack that killed over 1,300 Israelis, sending shockwaves across the country.
As the deadline approached, hundreds of thousands of Israeli army reservists gathered near Gaza’s northern border, while Israeli warplanes intensified their airstrikes on homes and residential high-rises. Aid groups called on the international community to prevent what they saw as a potential war crime involving forced population transfer.
In under-resourced and overwhelmed hospitals, Palestinian doctors had no choice but to stay. Evacuating Gaza’s largest hospital, Shifa, was impossible, given the dire conditions and the hospital’s inability to accommodate the 600 patients, many in critical condition.
The Israeli military claims its airstrikes target militant infrastructure, not civilians, a claim rejected by Palestinians. Many fled south, enduring harrowing journeys amidst the bombardment. Tractors, horse carts, and donkeys formed a line stretching 30 kilometers, turning a 45-minute trip into a deadly two-hour odyssey.
Israeli airstrikes on evacuating vehicles reportedly killed at least 70 people, according to Hamas. Despite mistrust, some, like Ali Abdul Bari, evacuated to ensure their family’s safety.
Others hesitated, recalling past Palestinian refugee crises, including the Nakba in 1948, when hundreds of thousands were displaced. Gaza’s Hamas leaders also discouraged flight, calling the Israeli order “psychological warfare.”
For some, the means to leave were lacking, like Jamal, who lacked a car. Piling family members onto a horse cart through a war zone was too daunting.
In the face of uncertain odds, Palestinians in Gaza grappled with an impossible decision, shaped by their history and their resolve to endure.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
