On the 20th, the Israeli military issued a evacuation order to residents of the central city of Deir al-Balah in the southwestern part of Gaza. In the early hours of the 21st, the Israeli military launched multiple rounds of airstrikes and artillery fire on Deir al-Balah, and ground troops also entered the southern and eastern parts of the city that day. This marked the first time the Israeli military has launched ground offensives against Deir al-Balah since this round of conflict began. Despite the fact that the Israeli military has withdrawn from the area,
At the scene, many local residents have packed their belongings and embarked on a journey of escape.
The barren land, scattered household items. This place, once home to many Palestinians who grew up and lived here, now resembles an abandoned wasteland. The ruined buildings and the litter everywhere testify to the ferocity of the Israeli military’s actions. Ahmed and his wife were crouched in the rubble searching for a few items that might still be usable.
A displaced person, Ahmed:
At three in the morning, shells suddenly flew towards us, and we didn’t even have time to change our clothes before running out. Looking back, nothing was left behind. In just a few seconds, everything changed.
Some displaced persons mentioned that Deir al-Balah was originally considered a relatively safe area in Gaza. However, on the 20th, thousands of leaflets distributed as “evacuation orders” suddenly descended from the sky, shattering this fragile peace.
A displaced person, Marwan:
We didn’t take anything with us; we just ran away. Now everything is buried under the rubble, my child and I are wandering the streets, sleeping by the seaside. At this moment, I feel death is actually a kind of liberation.
On the road leading out of Deir al-Balah, there are people rushing with their families, fleeing hastily. They are packing up all their remaining belongings using carts, donkeys, or even walking, leaving their homes they once called home behind.
Local resident, Ashraf:
People flooded onto the streets, unsure of where to go, bombings everywhere, it’s extremely difficult.