The Media Line:

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• Gazans Cite Grave Medical and Travel Obstacles; Israeli Expert Says Displacement a Security Necessity
• Dr. Emmanuel Navon criticizes Arab leaders who join ‘the chorus to … demonize Israel, but they don’t do anything for the civilians themselves.’
• Ahmed Abd al-Salam / The Media Line  
• Mass displacement is once again unfolding in Gaza City. Thousands of families face evacuation orders as the Israeli military expands its operation. Many Gazans say they lack not only the money and strength to move, but also food, medicine, shelter, and even the chance for their children to live a normal life. Israel, meanwhile, maintains it is facilitating humanitarian aid and warning civilians in line with international law. Experts also emphasize the importance of relocating civilians to maintain security.

One Gazan resident, Fathel Helou, said: “They’re occupying all of Gaza, piece by piece … Today we received aid through the Zikim border crossing. Every day, we try to find something to feed the children, and in the process, 20, 30, or even 40 people are killed. There’s nothing left here in Gaza. Hamas isn’t here. … Why are they killing us? We don’t have the money to go anywhere else. I didn’t leave at the start of the war because I had no money. We won’t leave now either—unless they take us out by ship. If that were possible, we would go. But who will take responsibility?”

Others describe displacement as a cycle with no end in sight. Ibrahim Shaban Ghani explained: “We’ve been displaced six times, moving from place to place. We have no money, no means, and no strength for another move. There’s no safety in moving from one place to another—we haven’t found any. God knows where we’ll go now.”

Israel argues that evacuation orders that safeguard security are consistent with international law and says responsibility also lies with Egypt for keeping its border sealed. Dr. Emmanuel Navon noted that “According to international humanitarian law, when you conduct an offensive for military purposes in an inhabited area, you have to enable the population to move out, which is what Israel has been doing.” He added that Egypt’s closed border prevents relief, saying critics ignore “the cynicism and indeed the cruelty of the Egyptian leadership, which is not enabling any civilians from Gaza to at least temporarily settle in the northern part of Sinai until the end of the war.”

Gazans also speak of hunger and a collapsing health system. Muntasir Al-Sadia Al-Shamani said, “I’m a sick man. My wife has a heart condition and diabetes. She’s under constant pressure. Life is hard—it’s a tragedy.”

Ameera Rashaban described her daughters’ need for kidney transplants and the difficulty of obtaining medical care. She recounted how she was asked to pay 900 shekels for X-rays because they were only available to those who could afford them. She added, “They need fruit, healthy food, a proper diet. There’s no help today … The least we can do is milk, but it isn’t always available—today it costs 200 to 300 shekels, and I can’t afford it. There are no eggs, no calcium sources. It’s all lentils, and even those we can’t always find.”

Israel insists it has allowed aid trucks into Gaza and created humanitarian corridors, but accuses Hamas of blocking them. Dr. Navon emphasized that “Israel has been letting humanitarian aid trucks in from Egypt, and also from Israel itself, on a daily basis,” adding that Hamas has at times prevented civilians from leaving because “they want to keep those civilians as human shields.”

Some Gazans, though, say neighboring Arab states and Hamas itself share responsibility for their suffering. Rashaban said, “We will defeat everyone responsible—Egypt, Qatar, Hamas. All we want is proper health care. Our first priority is getting treatment for our children.”

Navon pointed to Arab governments’ failure to help: “Here’s the hypocrisy of Arab leaders, is that they joined the chorus to condemn Israel, to demonize Israel, but they don’t do anything for the civilians themselves. When is the last time we saw an Arab country hosting refugees … Never. This is pure cynicism.” He stressed that not all Gazans are connected to Hamas and said Arab states should act to ease civilian suffering.

For those who can afford it, moving is still possible, while others remain stuck. “We’re told to leave this area of Gaza City, but we can’t—no one can. We don’t even have 1,000 shekels. There’s nothing we can do. We’re forced out of our homes again and again, but this time we have no car, no fuel, no money. We have nothing. They’re asking 1,000 shekels to get out, and we can’t pay. Here, problems get solved if you have money.”

Israel says military operations are delayed until civilians are cleared from targeted areas, but acknowledges the destruction makes evacuations difficult. Dr. Navon concluded: “Well, we know there’s a lot of destruction in the Gaza Strip, and moving on the roads is not easy. But of course, the IDF will not conduct massive operations and definitely not ground operations until the areas are cleared of civilians. So it will take time … but the IDF is committed to the rules.”

Displacement is also shaping the lives of Gaza’s youngest.

Kifah Mohamed Hassan Nabhan said, “I’ve been displaced 23 times. I have no money, and my spirit is gone.” She added that her children are sick, her health is failing, and her family lacks food, water, or the means to move. She appealed to Arab countries to help, saying all she wants is for her children to live and learn like others.

A child shared a simple dream: “I want to go back to school and play with my friends. I want to go home and play with them too.”

Negotiations have also deepened the hardship. Fathel Helou complained: “Negotiations for a deal are making life harder for us. They’re haggling over minor issues. One week, it looks like we’re 50% of the way there; the next, one or both sides back off, and it’s the same back-and-forth. Why? That’s no solution.”

Israel rejects accusations of genocide, saying it warns civilians, opens humanitarian corridors, and that Hamas prevents people from leaving. Dr. Emmanuel Navon argued: “It’s always very easy to accuse Israel of genocide and of crimes against humanity. But if you look at the actual facts, if Israel really wanted to commit genocide, then Gaza would have been erased from the map a long time ago … If Israel really wanted to commit genocide, then believe me, the death toll would have been much higher, because the IDF has the military means to do that, but it is not doing that.”  

For Gaza’s civilians, displacement, hunger, illness, and loss remain part of daily life. For Israel, the war continues under the banner of defeating Hamas while asserting compliance with humanitarian law. Between lived testimonies and official positions, responsibility for Gaza’s crisis remains bitterly contested.