Israeli offensive forced more than 250,000 to flee Gaza City in past month, says UN

More than a quarter of a million people have been displaced from Gaza City in the last month, according to figures from the UN, with tens of thousands more forced to flee makeshift homes and shelters daily in the face of a new Israeli offensive.

- Jason Burke

Strikes by Israeli artillery, tanks and warplanes hit Gaza City again yesterday as a UN official said “new waves of mass displacement” were under way, after about 60,000 fled the new assault in 72 hours this week.

Israeli military officials say the total number following Israeli orders to evacuate Gaza City is much higher.

An unbroken column of traffic heavily laden with household utensils, blankets, mattresses, gas cylinders and often entire families packed Gaza’s narrow coastal road yesterday as a steady stream of Palestinians headed south towards areas designated by Israel.

Prices for transport have soared, forcing some to walk, laden with belongings and young children. “We are heading to go sleep on the streets towards the beach, like this, barefoot ... We don’t know where to go,” said Yasser Saleh, speaking as he stood on a rickety trailer being pulled by a car.

Israeli military officials said Gaza City was a “Hamas stronghold” and as many as 450,000 civilians had left. The estimate was based on multiple sources, including drone surveillance, an official told the Guardian.

Israeli forces now control Gaza City’s eastern suburbs and in recent days have moved into the Sheikh Radwan and Tel Hawa areas, from where they would be positioned to advance on the central and western districts where most of the remaining population is sheltering.