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Displaced Palestinians tell Reuters they are fleeing from Rafah towards al-Maghazi and Khan Younis
A man ties a rope to secure items in the vehicle of members of a Palestinian family as they flee Rafah, Gaza, on February 13. (Credit: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images)
Two displaced Palestinians told Reuters they were fleeing Rafah and heading towards al-Maghazi in central Gaza and Khan Younis in southern Gaza, just north of Rafah.
More than 1.3 million people – more than half Gaza’s population – are believed to be in Rafah, where most of those displaced from other parts of the besieged territory have converged on the city near the border. Egypt.
Displaced Palestinian Nahla Jarwan told Reuters on Tuesday that she initially fled Al Maghazi to Rafah, but is now returning to Al Maghazi.
“The last night in Rafah was very difficult. We have returned to Al Maghaji because of fear, we have been displaced from one area to another,” he said. He said he hoped Al Magaji would be safe.
“There is no security wherever we go. Not in Al Maghaji, not in Rafah, not anywhere,” he said.
“We are tired of running from one city to another… people are tired,” he said.
He said, “I hope the world is with us and looks at us with kind and compassionate eyes… We are always crying. Martyrs, bombings, destruction, death, hunger, thirst, no food.”
Another displaced Palestinian, Momen Shabair, told Reuters on Tuesday he prayed the world would pressure Israel to end the war and “liberate us.”
“We are lost. We don’t know where to go… We are tired. We are wandering here and there, we don’t know where to go,” he said.
Mo’men said he was in Khan Yunis until he was told to head towards Rafah. “Rafa is safe,” he said.
He said, “It was a hard night in Rafah and we returned to Khan Younis. We are tired of going from one place to another.”
Palestinians in Rafah are trying to figure out their next move as concerns grow over Israel’s planned ground offensive in the southern city.
On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the country’s armed forces to make plans to “evacuate the population” of Rafah ahead of a planned ground assault on the southern city, his office said in a statement.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman, Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, told CNN on Tuesday that the Israeli military has not yet presented its plan to the government for evacuating Rafah, but said the army aims to create a plan that Who can evacuate the citizens safely. “out of harm’s way” and separate civilians from Hamas militants.
On Monday, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said there had been “an increase in Israeli air force strikes” on Rafah “to allow Israeli forces to rescue two hostages held since the September 7 attack.” October,” and to attack “Hamas terrorists in the area.”
Following Israeli air strikes on Rafah, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that more than 100 people were killed in the attacks.
Two Al Jazeera journalists were also injured on Tuesday during Israeli airstrikes north of Rafah, Al Jazeera reports.
With reporting by Kat Nichols and Alex Stambaugh