Basel Alsourani, an employee of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) and local authorities in Gaza, followed Israel’s evacuation order to southern Gaza. However, he has now returned home to Gaza City and says it is not safer in the south. He heard major bombings in Khan Yunis and is now hearing the same in Gaza City. Although he followed the instructions to evacuate, he decided to return home as he felt it is better to die there than live as a refugee in Sinai, the Egyptian desert area bordering southern Gaza. When asked how many people have followed the evacuation order, Alsourani says it varies, but on his street, he only sees one inhabited house and the rest are empty. However, there are more people staying in some places, especially in the refugee camps. But those whose homes have been destroyed are leaving. Alsourani was able to evacuate as he had a fully fueled car when the war broke out, but many others did not. There are long queues for fuel, with people waiting in the hope of getting some. The same situation exists around bakeries, where people are struggling to buy food due to rising prices. Alsourani also mentions the shortage of electricity in Gaza, explaining that he was able to charge his phone and laptop in Khan Yunis, where the PCHR office is located. However, there is no electricity in his house in Gaza City. He expresses concern about the increasingly dire situation in hospitals, as he has heard that the generators will run out of fuel within a day. Alsourani believes that Israel is punishing the Palestinian people rather than Hamas.
