Palestinians believe threat of Gaza displacement remains real posted 05:58 BST05:58 BSTRushdi Abualouf Gaza Correspondent Image source, Reuters Image caption, Damaged buildings in Gaza City, seen on September 28 Three years after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, the predominant fear among many Palestinians I have spoken to is no longer simply how the war will end. It is about whether the Palestinians of Gaza will finally be able to remain in their land. In recent weeks, I have spoken with Hamas and Palestinian Authority officials, as well as figures across the Palestinian political spectrum. Despite their deep divisions, there is an unusual degree of agreement on one issue: they believe the threat of large-scale displacement from Gaza remains real. They also agree that the Palestinians currently lack the military or political means to prevent such a scenario from developing. That fear has become one of the defining characteristics of Gaza three years after October 7. The territory Palestinians inhabit today bears little resemblance to the Gaza that existed before the war. Large areas have been devastated. Much of the population remains displaced, with many living in tents and makeshift shelters, while access to food, clean water and medical treatment remains severely restricted.
