The War on Gaza: Forced Displacement and the Reshaping of Life
The war on the Gaza Strip represents one of the greatest humanitarian challenges facing the world, dramatically and rapidly altering daily life. Among the most notable changes are forced evacuations, which serve as a clear indicator of the sector’s accelerating transformations. The map of displacement has become increasingly complex and painful during the conflict.
According to the latest displacement statistics since the renewed aggression in March 2025, over 646,934 people were forced to flee again. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics reports that 2 million Palestinians have been displaced during the war, meaning that 90% of Gaza’s population was compelled to leave their homes due to aerial bombardments and ground invasions, according to UN reports. The reasons behind the evacuation orders issued by the Israeli army are multiple, often carried out in areas of strategic importance, with military operations dictating evacuation routes, particularly in sensitive border zones, forcing thousands of families into forced displacement without safe alternatives.
The escalation of military operations and shifting battlefronts lead to drastic changes in population distribution. Entire areas are frequently evacuated due to intensified fighting or anticipated threats, complicating humanitarian response efforts and making accurate data collection on displaced populations and their locations difficult.
In Gaza, an address no longer simply signifies a “place of residence”; it is now directly linked to the internal displacement crisis, determined entirely by the realities of war and the changing conditions on the ground.
Displacement Paths: From Surprise to Peak
Tracking the timeline of population movements during the war reveals a complex pattern closely tied to military escalations, both aerial and ground, as well as repeated evacuation orders.
Displacement waves began in the early stages of the war, specifically with the onset of intense military operations in October 2023, when approximately half a million people fled from Gaza City and northern Gaza to the southern and central areas due to heavy bombardment. As operations expanded in November, displacement reached its peak, exceeding 1.2 million people, eventually surpassing 1.5 million with continued bombing and ground incursions.
According to the latest UN-led assessments of recent displacement patterns, around 1.6 million displaced persons are staying in temporary shelters, while over 600,000 live in tents lacking basic humanitarian necessities. The health situation is dire; according to statements by Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, the healthcare sector is completely collapsed, with 25 out of 35 hospitals out of service, and only 51 health centers functioning out of 72, increasing the hardships for displaced people seeking medical care.
As the conflict escalated, many facilities—primarily UNRWA schools and government schools—were converted into temporary shelters for tens of thousands of families. When no accommodation was available, some displaced families turned to beaches or relatives’ homes, causing severe overcrowding in the least targeted areas.
Life inside these shelters is far from easy. Classrooms became overcrowded, corridors were packed with families, and essential services such as food, water, and healthcare were largely absent, while the danger remained omnipresent due to repeated targeting incidents.
Voices from the Displaced
Um Nabil, a displaced woman from the Zaytoun neighborhood, says: “We were displaced ten times in four months. Each time we thought the place was safe, only to find ourselves under new threats. I feel like I’ve lived without an address for months.”
Um Khaled, a displaced woman from northern Gaza, recalls: “At first, I went with my children to my brother’s house in Safatawi, but as the bombing escalated, we had to move to Al-Dhiyyan School in Sheikh Radwan. Today, 12 of us live in a cramped classroom, with barely enough food or water. Life has become impossible.”
Women have borne a double burden, caring for children and securing basic necessities in an environment of total collapse. Children have lost access to schools, which were converted into shelters, experiencing fear, anxiety, and the absence of education, leaving deep psychological scars.
Sami, a young man from Beit Lahia, recounts for the Palestinian Displacement Observatory that his brother’s wedding was held in a small tent without electricity or food for guests. Abu Youssef, a displaced man from Shuja’iyya, shares from his shelter on the Khan Younis beach: “My home was completely destroyed. I moved to the beach, but it’s far worse than the schools—no water, no food, no security at all.”
Many families have resorted to tents set up in public squares and parks, undermining privacy and human dignity. People were stripped of basic living conditions amid cramped, open tents, facing poor sanitation, disease outbreaks, and no access to healthcare.
Legal Dimension: Forced Evacuation as a Violation
Bakr Al-Turkmani, Coordinator for Investigations and Complaints at the Independent Commission for Human Rights, emphasizes that the right to housing and movement is fundamental to human dignity, yet in Gaza it has become a distant dream due to ongoing military operations. He notes: “Forced evacuation without prior warning, or without safe routes and alternative shelter, constitutes one of the gravest violations,” adding: “What is happening in Gaza fails to meet the minimum standards of international humanitarian law.”
According to Al-Turkmani, the Israeli occupation bears full legal responsibility for the safety of civilians ordered to leave, including providing essential services, ensuring protection during transit, and preventing attacks. However, reality in Gaza reflects the opposite.
Despite the harsh reality, accountability mechanisms remain open for crimes committed, including forced evacuation, forming a legal basis for prosecution in international courts.
Displacement Reshaping Gaza
The demographic impact of displacement in Gaza is significant. Thousands of families now live in close quarters in displacement camps and shelters. Some displaced families have intermarried within the camps. Wealthier families seek new housing for young married children in neighborhoods or buildings untouched by bombing, resulting in a population shift across governorates.
Residents from border areas (east and north Gaza) look for safer locations far from prior or potential dangers, causing fundamental changes in population distribution. This may be temporary if the war ends with a long-term political settlement, or permanent if a truce is reached without guarantees.
Dr. Imad Mohsen, a political researcher and media analyst, notes: “The likely outcome of this war is a reduced urban space in Gaza. Entire neighborhoods or governorates were destroyed, while other areas remained habitable, inevitably leading to major demographic changes in the governorates and across Gaza.”
He adds that the pace of reconstruction and the restoration of infrastructure and basic services will determine whether people remain in their original locations or relocate elsewhere.
Nostalgia for Neighborhoods, Homes, and Neighbors
For many Palestinians, a neighborhood is more than a residence; it embodies personal and collective memory, daily social ties, and communal life. Wide-scale destruction has threatened this memory.
Um Osama says: “Our neighbor, Um Ihab, used to bring us coffee every morning—I don’t know if she is still alive. The house was not just walls; it held stories and relationships.”
Sara, 16, adds: “Every move feels like a part of my identity is being uprooted. The house is more than a place to sleep; it’s where I learned, played, and left my laughter and sadness.”
Neighborhoods give people a sense of security. Abu Mohammed says the repeated displacement has robbed him of safety and stability. Um Yamen adds: “Our home was a refuge, but now it’s destroyed. In losing it, we lost part of ourselves. Even our neighbors, whom we saw daily, are now far away.”
Given this reality, reconstruction is more than restoring homes and infrastructure; it must include rebuilding social relationships destroyed by the war. A place regains meaning only when its collective memory is restored.
Documenting Memory
There is a pressing need for wide-scale initiatives to document testimonies, record stories, and establish archival centers to preserve Palestinian memory from obliteration, helping people reclaim a sense of belonging despite the widespread destruction.
