At the beginning of April, I was catching up with my friend Mahmoud who had relocated to Beit Lahiya after Israel bombed and destroyed his home in Jabaliya.
Mahmoud and I spoke over WhatsApp instead of in person, as reaching Beit Lahiya in the north isn’t easy – transportation is scarce and expensive due to Israel’s restrictions on fuel entry, and it’s a long distance from where I live in central Gaza, in al-Daraj neighborhood.
Mahmoud told me about how Israel has made northern Gaza unlivable. The homes have been destroyed, the infrastructure collapsed and the people face severe shortages of water and electricity.
For over a year after 7 October 2023, around 450,000 people refused to relocate to southern Gaza and remained in the northern parts of the Strip, which include the governorates of North Gaza and Gaza City.
The Israeli army continued to force those who remained in the North Gaza governorate – including Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya – to evacuate toward central Gaza City…..more
