Why Are Refugees Stranded in Gaza?

On Friday, the Israeli military told roughly one million Palestinians in northern Gaza to leave their homes in anticipation of an Israeli offensive aimed at eliminating Hamas presence in the region. Palestinians are encountering pushback and roadblocks in their attempts to flee the region. 

The Rafah Border Crossing: The main avenue through which Palestinians can feasibly flee Gaza is the Rafah border crossing into the Sinai region of Egypt. But the Washington Post (Lean Left bias) is reporting that Egypt— “wary of political fallout and security risks”— is preventing Palestinians from crossing the border. Egypt’s government is reportedly “concerned about security in the Sinai region and wants to avoid being seen as complicit in a campaign that could force Palestinians out of Gaza for good.”

Arab Nations: Other Arab nations are also resistant to accepting Palestinian refugees, according to reporting from Reuters (Center bias). A statement from Jordan's King Abdullah warned against attempts to “forcibly displace Palestinians from all Palestinian territories or cause their internal displacement.”

Hamas: Palestinians are also being obstructed from moving within Gaza, according to reporting from The National Review (Right bias). The Israel Defense Forces are claiming that Hamas forces are attempting to block Palestinians from fleeing northern Gaza. The IDF posted aerial images of an obstructed road, stating, “We have proof that Hamas is putting up roadblocks to prevent Palestinian civilians from evacuating from northern to southern Gaza. Hamas prides itself on putting civilians in harm’s way and is responsible for every civilian casualty.”