‘A pit instead of my house': Disillusioned Gazans return south after finding homes in ruins

Civilians furious at Hamas after finding the north of the Gaza Strip in ruins: "Where’s our home? Where’s our future?"

By OHAD MERLIN FEBRUARY 1, 2025 22:22

Displaced Palestinians make their way back to their homes in the northern Gaza Strip on January 27, 2025. (photo credit: Ali Hassan/Flash90)

Following Hamas’s organized celebrations and encouragement to Gazans to go back to the northern Gaza Strip, many of those who made it there returned southwards after finding out that not much was left of their former houses.

A variety of viral videos, tweets, and posts has been circulating on social media, many brought by Israeli channels such as Khalifa Shrugged, Abu Ali Express, and Daniel Wachtel, which showed Gazan citizens who were eager to go up north to where their homes were – returning southwards disillusioned after seeing the immense destruction left following the war.

One Gazan citizen who was interviewed on the Qatari Al-Arabi channel after coming back from Beit Hanoun told the interviewer: “I couldn’t find anything… The house was located more towards the Jews, but I was scared to look more closely due to there being unexploded bombs or rockets. There’s no life, no nothing. Even if I bring my tent there - there’s no life there. I’m going back to Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, in the desert. It’s easier to find level ground there, you can sit there, there’s water… people are shouting and crying in their houses. This is indescribable… I’m not going back.

"I lost twenty years of my life. My house, my home, my farm… nothing left. There’s a pit instead of my house.”

After the Hamas-organized 'victory' celebrations & urging Gazans to go back north - some of those who made it there appear less enthusiastic about the said 'triumph'.Here's a Gazan citizen cursing at Hamas leaders Hiyyah, Mardawi and Hamdan, shouting: 'where's our home, you… pic.twitter.com/MrJMfgTZ2m

— Ohad ✡️ اوهاد ✡️ אהד (@MOhadIsrael) February 1, 2025

'This war was uncalled for'

Another Gazan woman who presented herself as a worker in the education sector was filmed saying: “May Allah have vengeance on the occupation. This war was uncalled for. They did not prepare us for it. Our homes are gone and our children are gone. Where are we going back? To the rubble? We didn’t benefit in anything… I hope someone takes us out of here. Two entire generations were destroyed… we were humiliated. I had a new villa worth $250 thousand; it was destroyed. I call on our President Mahmoud Abbas to save us, and I thank Turkiye for standing with us. I wish they would see this video, embrace us, and take me and my girls. This is the suffering of after the war – if this war is even over.”

Likewise, during a live broadcast from Falasteen TV channel, an anchor noticed large groups of Gazans going back south after visiting the north, inquiring as to the reason for their return. The citizens then answered the surprised anchor: “It’s a complete destruction. Buildings have collapsed, and the streets are filled with debris.” “We want a solution,” said another one.

“Everything is just mounds of sand. We want someone to find us a solution for this. We want to live and sleep and find refuge… no water and no food.” The anchor then kept pressing, asking if they were sure that they made the right decision by going back south when a donkey-drawn carriage carrying a family passed by. One of them shouted: “Miss, there is no life. Only death in Gaza. We’re going back to the (Rafah) crossing. Open the crossings, and let us pass!”

One video published on Al-Arabiya showed an old Gazan man standing on top of rubble in the northern Gaza Strip and cursing at leaders of Hamas and the IRGC: “Where is our house, Qassem Soleimani? Where is our house, (Khalil) Al-Hiyyah, (Mahmoud) Mardawi and Osama Hamdan?? A curse be upon you, you spies, you mercenaries!”

Another blogger filmed a video in the southern part of the Gaza Strip showing debris and rubble, adding: “Did you see the change and reform of the ‘Godly’ movement? …This is what the ‘Godly movement’ did to us. They changed and reformed all of the contours of the country. May Allah curse your honor, Hamas!”

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Others wrote similar messages on their social media accounts. One named Ahmed wrote: “I went back to Gaza, and I’ve been sleeping for three nights in the streets. Thanks for the victory! (crying emoji).” While another X user from Gaza wrote: “The North is literally the Russians. I want someone to convince me what we gained from October 7th!”

Some tied the devastation in the Gaza Strip to the widespread reports of Trump’s immigration plan for Gazans. One blogger, apparently a Gazan residing in Egypt, wrote: “The northern Gaza Strip alone needs 150,000 tents, so what about all of Gaza? Nothing arrived in northern Gaza - no fuel, no tents, no bulldozers, no excavators to clear the roads and open them to people. If you want to prevent immigration, then add these things in. If you are truly against immigration, you must not make life difficult for the residents of Gaza. Have you seen how simple it is? Do we need demonstrations in front of the Rafah crossing?"

Finally, one Gazan exploited the live broadcasting on Qatari Al-Jazeera, where criticism of Hamas is usually not heard. When asked about his situation following what the interviewer claimed was ‘the end of the war,’ the Gazan man answered: “Our situation is like ****”