I can’t help terrified Palestinian families in Rafah with nowhere left to flee Israel’s assault

An Islamic Relief worker* in Gaza fields frantic, fruitless calls from family and friends desperate to flee Israel’s looming assault on Rafah. 

This brutal war has now lasted more than 130 days, and the suffering has never stopped – in fact, it increases by the moment. I am finding it harder and harder to write as my mental health is deteriorating. I am now full of despair and losing hope there will be any relief to the pain and suffering.  

I even started thinking of leaving Gaza, starting a new chapter of my life seeking refuge somewhere in the world. But I do not know where to go, and as a Palestinian, no country will accept me and my family as refugees. In addition, leaving through Egypt involves paying thousands of dollars that I do not have.  

I am worried about the future of my kids, as I have seen scores of schools destroyed. I am afraid their mental health will be damaged beyond repair if they witness more of this killing and bombing. I am afraid I will not be able to keep them safe and unharmed. I can’t protect them. I am living in a false world. I am living in agony and suffering. 

Where can people in Rafah flee now? 

Horrifyingly, there is news that a land operation will start in Rafah. There are more than 1 million people in Rafah, who were told to go there because it would be safe in the south. Now, they are being told to evacuate. 

Where can they go? People are not allowed to return to their homes in the north and not able to stay in Rafah either. Should they just disappear into thin air? Should they go live in the sea or head to Mars? This is a crazy world and crazy war. Nobody is considering that we are talking about human beings: we are not just furniture to be moved from one place to another. 

I have plenty of friends and Islamic Relief colleagues in Rafah. I spoke with Amir*, who, along with his family, has been displaced twice so far in this war. Originally living in Gaza City, the family fled to Khan Younis in the early stages of the war; only to have to flee again when Khan Younis was invaded. Describing the experience, he told me, “We barely escaped. We could have been killed by Israeli drones firing on everyone that moved.” The family moved to Rafah, and now, yet again, are preparing to flee. He told me the situation in Rafah is beyond description. “My children are asking hundreds of questions: Where will we go? When will we be able to go home? Will we have to move again? I can’t answer their questions. We can’t settle. We can’t rest.” 

Amir told me there are hundreds of people loading their stuff on top of their cars – mattresses, blankets, gas cylinders, and other essentials. He said, “People are moving aimlessly. No one knows what will happen.” The family are heading to Gaza’s middle area. I asked if he has a place to stay. “No,” he replied. “I will look for somewhere when we arrive. Maybe we can find a tent, or maybe sleep in the street. I do not know.” 

We Palestinians cannot survive this alone 

Me and my family are already in the middle area, at my parents’ house, where we’ve been for months. Dozens of friends and relatives have called me, hoping for help finding somewhere to stay when they flee here. The first to call were my father and mother-in-law. I’ve been searching for shelter for them, making hundreds of phone calls and placing advertisements on the Internet for a flat, or even a storage space, anything. I have not found anything. My in-laws are older people who struggle to take care of themselves, and now they have a greater burden than ever as they face the desperate search for shelter, water, and food.  

What is wrong with the world? I’ve lost all faith in the world. There is no justice. It is all a lie.  

Forgive me, my readers, for my despair. We in Gaza need every possible help and support. We are exhausted. We need every single prayer. We need every emotional support. We need to raise awareness. We need you. We can’t survive on our own.  

Please keep praying for us and supporting us 

My children started asking about political parties. My son is dividing the world into 2 categories: countries who like Palestinians and countries who do not. He keeps asking about countries: “How about USA? How about Egypt? China? Why don’t they like us? Why do they attack us?”  

I can’t answer these questions. There are no simple answers in a complicated world. I can’t remove all the hypocrisy, all the politics, all the special and vested interests, to give him a simple blueprint of the world. I can’t convince him there are human rights and international law. I can’t tell him we can live in peace.  

Please, my dear readers, keep praying and supporting us. We are counting on you to keep telling our story to the world. 

Please help Islamic Relief support people in desperate need in Gaza: Donate to our Palestine Emergency Appeal now. 

*This blog is anonymised to protect the safety and security of our colleague and others mentioned.

Read the other blogs in this series here. 

Editor’s note: This blog was submitted amid a fast-changing and deepening crisis. The information was correct as of Wednesday 14 February 2024.