Heba al-Haddad and her family were forced to leave their home in Gaza City by 14 Israeli soldiers who stormed their apartment. They were given glowsticks and strict instructions to walk south to avoid being shot by soldiers at checkpoints. The soldiers set fire to their house after they left, creating a daunting and terrifying journey for the family. Witnesses reported that Israeli troops conducted building evacuations in nearby neighborhoods during a two-week raid on Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, resulting in furious fighting and destruction.
Throughout the offensive in Gaza, the Israeli military has relied on announcing evacuation orders for large areas through various means. However, the recent campaign of evacuations in Gaza City has been more aggressive and direct, with troops going door to door to expel residents. As a result, an estimated 7,000 people were forced from neighborhoods around Shifa Hospital. The Israeli military has vowed to destroy Hamas after attacks on southern Israel, leading to a high death toll among Palestinians and displacing a large portion of Gaza’s population.
Heba al-Haddad, a pharmacist, and her husband, Raed al-Tabaa, an accountant and university professor, had initially been determined to stay in Gaza City despite the ongoing conflict. However, after their building took a direct hit in November and the raid on Shifa Hospital began in March, they were forced to flee. The family faced a harrowing journey on foot, navigating a war zone with elderly relatives in tow. They eventually reached an Israeli checkpoint, where they were processed one by one before seeking refuge in Rafah, a densely populated area of Gaza.
During the evacuation process, soldiers used Google Maps to show the family the route they needed to follow and instructed them on the proper way to walk to avoid suspicion. The family pleaded to be allowed to stay or wait until morning due to the difficulty of the journey for their elderly relatives. Despite their desperate pleas, the soldiers insisted they leave immediately, citing the risk of a potential explosion. The family was forced to navigate the treacherous path, with elderly in-laws struggling to walk and falling numerous times along the way.
Now in Rafah, Heba al-Haddad and her family are crowded into a house with relatives, uncertain of their future as they consider their next steps if Israeli troops were to attack the area. They are gathering money to potentially buy a way out of Gaza in order to secure their children’s future. The displacement journey has been a traumatic and challenging experience for the family, highlighting the immense struggles faced by civilians caught in the crossfire of the conflict. The ongoing violence in Gaza continues to take a toll on innocent lives, leaving many families with uncertain futures and limited options for safety and security.
