Family's Terrifying Journey Through Explosions and Death in Israel Gaza Conflict

Jehad El-Mashhrawi, a BBC Arabic cameraman, shares his harrowing experience of fleeing his home in northern Gaza after weeks of Israeli bombing. El-Mashhrawi and his family had to leave their home in a hurry, leaving behind their belongings and forgetting to shut the front door. Despite the fear and uncertainty, they joined thousands of others making the dangerous journey to the south, where Israel claimed it was safe. As they headed towards an Israeli checkpoint, tensions rose and El-Mashhrawi's children were anxious about what the army might do to them. They waited for hours in a long queue while being watched by Israeli soldiers from surrounding buildings. The soldiers managed the checkpoint remotely, giving instructions through loudspeakers. Eventually, El-Mashhrawi and his family reached the checkpoint, where they had to pass through shipping containers and have their IDs checked and photographed. He witnessed around 50 people, mainly men, being detained and some were subjected to degrading treatment, such as being stripped down to their underwear and blindfolded. Separately, others who made the same journey reported seeing dead bodies near the checkpoint. The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) stated that individuals suspected of affiliations with terrorist organizations were detained for preliminary inquiries. The IDF also claimed that clothes had to be removed to check for explosives and detainees were clothed as soon as possible. The IDF denied shooting at civilians but acknowledged using shots for dispersal when young men tried to move in the opposite direction. The journey south continued to be horrific, as El-Mashhrawi encountered burned-out cars, rotting corpses, and piles of rubbish along the way. They also had to run over corpses to escape an approaching Israeli tank. Finally, they reached Khan Younis, where they struggled to find accommodation and settled in a warehouse for a week. Despite the hardships, El-Mashhrawi and his family decided to continue further south to Rafah. Now, they are renting a small outhouse without proper protection from shrapnel. They face difficulties in obtaining basic necessities like water and food, with long queues and limited availability. El-Mashhrawi just wants to leave Gaza and find a safe place for his children, even if it means living in a tent.