The Cradle: Thousands of Palestinians return to Gaza City amid escalating Israeli offensiveArchived Message
Posted by sashimi on September 25, 2025, 9:36 am
24 Sep 2025
Lede: Gaza's Government Media Office says nearly one million Palestinians are staying put despite brutal bombardment and the advancement of ground troops
Deadly Israeli attacks continued to target Palestinian civilians on 24 September as Tel Aviv's forces pushed deeper into Gaza City as part of a new operation to force the resistance into submission.
While many have fled, tens of thousands of others are unwilling to leave their homes. Some have also returned to their homes in Gaza City after being displaced toward the south.
"We affirm that more than 900,000 Palestinians remain steadfast in Gaza City, holding onto their right to stay and firmly rejecting forced displacement and expulsion to the south, despite the horrific bombardment and genocidal crimes carried out by the Israeli occupation," the Gaza Government Media Office said in a statement on Wednesday.
Those fleeing have been ordered to head south toward Al-Mawasi - a previously declared "safe zone" which has been relentlessly targeted throughout the war.
Al-Mawasi has been hit with over 100 airstrikes since the start of the genocide in 2023, killing a total of 2,000 people, the media office went on to say.
The area lacks the facilities, infrastructure, and essential services to accommodate displaced Palestinians.
The statement confirms over 300,000 have been displaced since the start of the operation to seize Gaza City, including more than 60,000 in the last three days. It also notes, however, that over 24,000 Palestinians have returned to their homes in the city, after having "transported their belongings south for safekeeping only to return due to the complete absence of basic living conditions in the south."
Others remain in their homes out of fear of traveling south under bombardment.
Israel has issued several evacuation orders in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Israel ordered the entire population of Gaza City to leave.
The Israeli army's ground troops pushed deeper into Gaza City on 24 September while continuing to ignore all calls to end the offensive.