A Message from Gaza City After Forced Evacuation from Jabalia Camp

Reports from Gaza and media outlets describe the forced evacuation of families from North Gaza and Jabalia camp. There is growing concern that this may signal a broader effort to empty the northern half of Gaza and convert it into a restricted military zone. Areej, one of Anera’s program managers in North Gaza, shares a firsthand account of the situation, shedding light on the difficult realities she and others are facing during this critical time.

Since October 7, 2023, My life has been marked by relentless upheaval. When the war broke out, I was sheltering in Jabalia camp, but constant displacement has defined my experience ever since. I’ve had to move seven times, seeking safety wherever I could—sometimes in schools, sometimes in temporary shelters.

Just a few days ago, I was evacuated again. The IDF ordered us to leave Jabalia camp and move south. Like many others, I refused, knowing the dire conditions there: resources are stretched thin, and there’s simply no space for more displaced people.

I managed to find refuge in a shelter in Gaza City, but many of my family and friends, including my two brothers, are still trapped in Jabalia. The roads between Gaza City and Jabalia are closed, with a heavy military presence making movement impossible. The IDF drones and tanks shoot at anything that moves, and relentless bombing from the air and tanks makes any attempt to leave perilous.

As a humanitarian worker with Anera, I’m painfully aware of the growing needs. Yet my colleagues and I can’t reach warehouses in the north, stocked with essential aid. The roads are too dangerous, making it impossible to distribute aid to displaced families here or to those stuck in the north. Even the so-called “safe corridor” on Salah al-Din Street, supposedly meant for evacuation, is under constant threat from bombings and shootings.

The situation is grim. Thousands of families are trapped in areas like Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia camp. Over 5,000 families are stuck in Beit Hanoun, another 5,000 in Beit Lahia, and at least 35,000 people remain stranded in Jabalia, unable to escape the violence that surrounds them.

My message is urgent and clear: Gaza is in desperate need of help. The nightmare we are living through is unbearable, and we cannot endure much more.