In Gaza City, families are standing firm against threats ordering them to abandon their homes for so-called “safe zones” that have proven anything but secure. After more than 700 days of war, the city has become a final refuge for those repeatedly uprooted, and many now see leaving as a path to permanent exile. The fear of never returning weighs heavily, with residents describing the displacement orders as part of a wider attempt to erase their presence from their land.

Despite the unending bombardment, shortages of food, medicine and electricity, and the devastating loss of life, people cling to their homes with a quiet defiance. Parents speak of the futility of moving south where tent camps lack the basics of survival, while children insist that their city is more than stone and concrete, it is identity, history, and life itself. The sense of determination is shared across generations, with many declaring they would rather endure the daily terror than walk away from everything they hold dear.

The bombardments have only intensified in recent days, accompanied by leaflets warning of evacuation and threats of escalating attacks. Yet the response has been clear: those in Gaza refuse to surrender to forced displacement. For them, staying is not merely an act of resistance but the last thread connecting them to dignity, belonging, and hope in the face of attempts to uproot them forever.