Escaping the Chaos: A Family's Flight from Gaza

Warning: This episode contains descriptions of death.

As the conflict continues, Israel has blocked food, water and electricity from entering Gaza and has bombarded the area with airstrikes that have killed more than 2,600 Palestinians.

Late last week, Israel ordered people in the north of Gaza, nearly half the enclave’s population, to evacuate to the south ahead of an expected Israeli ground invasion. Many in Gaza now fear that this mass expulsion will become permanent.

Last week we told the story of a father of four whose kibbutz was attacked by Hamas. Today, we hear from the Gaza residents Abdallah Hasaneen and Wafa Elsaka about what they’ve experienced so far and what they expect will come next.

Guest: Abdallah Hasaneen, from the town Rafah in southern Gaza. Wafa Elsaka, a Palestinian-American and one of those who have fled from the north of Gaza over the past few days.

Background reading: 

• “Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families,” the Israeli military told the people in northern Gaza.
• As a widely anticipated ground invasion loomed, hospitals in Gaza City said they had no way to evacuate thousands of sick and injured patients.

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