Thousands of Gaza City residents have chosen to stay in their homes despite Israel’s declaration of the city as a combat zone. The Israeli government made this announcement on Friday, stating that it would also end daytime pauses in fighting, which were previously implemented to allow aid to enter the area.

As of Saturday, the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to over 63,000, with approximately 160,000 people injured, according to Palestinian health authorities. Many residents, such as Iman Qassem, who was displaced from Beit Hanoun, are determined to remain in Gaza City. Qassem expressed the difficulties of finding alternative accommodations, stating that all areas are overcrowded and that even those who paid for transportation to other locations often found their spaces taken upon return.

Prior to the conflict, Gaza City was home to around 700,000 people, but many have fled due to Israel’s targeting of the city, which it alleges is a Hamas stronghold with an operational network of tunnels. Israel plans to halt airdrops over Gaza and limit the number of aid trucks entering the enclave as it prepares to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people to the south.

Some residents, like Akram Mzini, have decided not to leave, citing the difficulties and costs associated with displacement. The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned that a mass evacuation of Gaza City cannot be safely executed due to the widespread destruction of infrastructure and extreme shortages of essential resources like food, water, and medical care.

The Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, abducting 251 people and killing around 1,200, mostly civilians. The situation in Gaza City remains dire, with residents facing immense challenges in accessing basic necessities. As the conflict continues, the international community is closely monitoring the situation, and concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza are growing. The fate of Gaza City’s residents hangs in the balance, as they struggle to survive amidst the ongoing violence and uncertainty.