Tens of thousands of Palestinians fleeing Israel’s escalating attacks on Gaza City are finding no refuge in the south, forcing many to return to the very neighborhoods they tried to escape.
Overcrowded coastal camps, scarce water, limited medical care, and sky-high relocation costs have turned evacuation into an impossible gamble.
Most displaced families are heading toward Mawasi, a sprawling southern tent camp Israel has labeled a “humanitarian zone,” or to the western edges of Gaza City along the coast.
But on arrival, many find no space for tents, no clean water, and no effective medical support, residents and aid agencies said.
“I have been in the sun for two days looking for a place and could not find any. Now I had to take my belongings and go back to Gaza City,” said Mohammed al-Sherif, 35, who fled Sabra district with his family and those of his two brothers after Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets warning civilians to evacuate.
