Gaza City was thrown into turmoil on Sunday as waves of Palestinian families fled the city under intense Israeli bombardment. Some packed into pick-up trucks with what little they could carry, while others moved on foot, clutching children or guiding the elderly along the battered streets. Among the crowd were people on crutches and in wheelchairs, determined to escape despite the chaos.
The Israeli military has repeatedly issued evacuation orders for Gaza City, but many residents say there is nowhere safe left to go. Areas in the south, designated as so-called “humanitarian zones,” have also come under attack, leaving displaced families with limited options for shelter.
The mass exodus coincided with the arrival of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Israel, a diplomatic visit framed as a gesture of support for the country, even as global concern grows over the civilian toll.
On Sunday, the Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, warned residents in Gaza’s port area and Al-Rimal district to leave immediately for southern Gaza. Yet locals insist those zones are already overcrowded, with no space left for tents or basic relief.
Israeli officials claim that more than 250,000 residents have already fled Gaza City, while Gaza’s civil defence agency estimates the number to be closer to 68,000. With access heavily restricted and large parts of the city cut off, independent verification remains nearly impossible.
The harrowing scenes underscore the deepening humanitarian crisis as families continue to run for their lives with no guarantee of safety, regardless of where they turn.
