On Foot: Palestinian Family Escapes ‘Famine’ in Shujaiya to Khan Younis
(AWP) - Along with his family of six, Mohammed Nasrallah made the long and dangerous journey on foot from al-Shujaiya in the north of the Gaza Strip towards Khan Younis in the south, to escape famine and the ongoing Israeli bombardment.
The Palestinian man explained, “We’ve been in this state of continuous displacement for nine months until we decided to come to the south. We got sick of the situation we were in, and everyone advised us to flee towards the south.”
Mohammed added, “I was forced to flee with my children due to extreme hunger, thirst and helplessness. I have six family members with me, and I am unable to support them. Prices in Shujaiya have rocketed, so I moved towards the south.”
After walking under the scorching summer sun for hours, Mohammed’s children were given juice cartons to quench their thirst upon their arrival at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis.
Recounting their ordeal, the children’s mother Nida Nasrallah said, “There is famine in al-Shujaiya. No water, no food, nothing. We lived there with difficulty. They did not spare any home, loved one, brother, or father. We lived in famine in al-Shujaiya.”
Nida lost the ability to feed her children or protect them from the continuous Israeli airstrikes, prompting the family’s decision to move south and away from the recurrent bombardments and evacuation orders.
She continued, “The children ask me for things, but I always say that I have no money or means. Their situation is heartbreaking. The day before yesterday we were targeted with missiles and today, we were forced to move towards the south. We crossed the Salah al-Din Road, and the [Israelis] were in front of us.”
Nida added, “There are many families in the Salah al-Din area. On our way out, the Israelis struck us with missiles, shells, stun grenades, and bullets. Also, on our way out of al-Shujaiya, they dropped a bomb from a drone, and three people were martyred in front of us.”
Despite the widespread destruction amidst the ongoing Israeli airstrikes and military operations since the beginning of the war last October 7, estimates indicate that there are about 350,000 people currently in northern Gaza.