On 17 August 2024, the Israeli occupation launched airstrikes on eastern Salah Al-Dein Street in Deir Al-Ballah, Gaza. Many residents lost their homes and more than 30 individuals were killed by the Israeli army.
Deir Al-Ballah, a name which translates to English as “Monastery of the Date Palm,” was founded during the Late Bronze Age and is well known for its date palm trees. Besides being known for its palm trees, Deir Al-Ballah is known for its tranquility as people used to sleep around dusk before this genocide. Unfortunately, they would sleep after midnight these days because of the extremely hot weather and annoying sound of drones.
Abu Firas Abu Qtifan is a father of three who evacuated from his home in eastern Deir Al-Ballah after the Israeli occupation completely destroyed his home. He is a very respectable man in his 40s. He is a nurse but he is not working currently because he has to remain with his family as all his children are young. He is dressed simply, similar to any person in Gaza. You must know that the clothes’ prices are skyrocketing, a couple of slippers costs around $50.
“I have not slept in my home since the beginning of this genocide,” Abu Firas said, “I could not even reach my neighbourhood during the ceasefire because it is in a dangerous area.” Now, he is displaced in a tent in a school named Deir Al-Ballah’s Elementary School for Girls. The school is located in western Deir Al-Ballah near Al-Rasheed Street.
In August 2024, Abu Firas’s brother escaped with his family to western Deir Al-Ballah near Abu Firas. When I asked whether he felt safe there or not, Abu Firas told me that since 7 October, safety was of concern for everyone in the Strip.
The Israeli occupation has committed many massacres in Deir Al-Ballah. In October 2024, the Israeli army committed three massacres, targeting a mosque, a school, and many refugee camps.
- On 6 October, 2024 the Israeli army bombed the Shuhada al-Aqsa mosque, near Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital. More than 20 Palestinians were murdered and dozens were injured.
- Four days later, the Israeli occupation attacked Rufaida school which was a refugee camp for hundreds of displaced Palestinians. Several people were killed, around 20, and many more were wounded.
- On 14 October, Many tents within Shuhada al-Aqsa hospital were targeted by the Israeli occupation leading to the death of at least 5 individuals and more than 70 were injured.
Since the beginning of the genocide, many families sought shelter in refugee camps although they had homes. The Al-Burdeani family, with more than 50 members, evacuated from their homes in Al-Mahatta Street, eastern Deir Al-Ballah. Refugee camps are usually overcrowded with tents that are very close to each other. For those living in tents, privacy is something seemingly forbidden. As a result of the crammed population in tents, diseases spread rapidly between individuals.
“When it is not dangerous, I used to return to my partially destroyed home on Al-Mahatta Street,” Hmaam Al-Burdeani said. As any human, he does not feel comfortable except when he is in his home.
On 12 July 2025, the Israeli army bombed the Al-Birka gas station in eastern Deir Al-Ballah and killed seven members of the Al-Kurd family who were displaced in the station.
“I have seen the massacre with my own eyes. I was hit by shrapnel in my back,” Mahmoud Al-Burdeani said. Mahmoud was in his home because he had just married the past month and wanted to spend the first days of his marriage at his home.
Since the beginning of this genocide, the Israeli occupation had dropped leaflets on all the Strip’s cities forcing hundreds of Palestinian families to evacuate south. “The Israeli army had considered Deir Al-Ballah as a safe zone but no place is safe in Gaza,” Gibreel Abu Hein told Palestinian Nexus.
Gibreel had evacuated from his home in the Shejaiya neighbourhood on the beginning of this genocide. “I found safety in Deir Al-Ballah as I had not evacuated from it,” Gibreel said, “It felt like home to me.”
Since the closing of the borders on 2 March 2025, several UN agencies and international NGOs had decreased their operations.
On 20 July 2025, the World Central Kitchen alerted Al-Midanee hospital informing them that they would not be able to provide food for the employees.
“Although patients needed nutritious food that is full of protein and vitamins, the WCK was only able to provide every patient with a bowl of rice,” my father, Mohammed Al-Qershali clarified.
On 21 July 2025, the Israeli occupation launched a large-scale ground operation in Deir Al-Ballah, Gaza’s last standing city. Hundreds of people evacuated from the southern east areas in Deir Al-Ballah.
Mahmoud Al-Burdeani was in his home on Al-Mahatta Street when the evacuation orders were announced. “All my neighbourhood was a dangerous area,” Mahmoud said. Yes, he evacuated to a tent western Deir Al-Ballah.
“The crossroad between Al-Mattahen and Salah Al-Dein Streets, the water desalination plant, Al-Nahouq palace near the sea, the bridge of Al-Salqa valley near Al-Birka Street, and the crossroad between Al-Mazarah and Salah Al-Dein Streets,” Mahmoud named the threatened areas.
On 21 July, Mahmoud remained in his home. “I had not slept the whole night, the sounds of bombardment was ear-piercing and the smell of gunpowder filled the air,” Mahmoud clarified.
More than 50 innocent civilians were killed and many more were injured. The new evacuation threats had disserved several world humanitarian organisations leading to the death of several innocent civilians because of malnutrition.
Deir Al-Ballah is not my city, but I evacuated to it and have lived here for almost two years, so I hope it will stand. As the evacuation orders were for eastern Deir Al-Ballah, I did not think we would be affected.
Yet.
My own family was affected. My father is an employee at MSF who is working as a pharmacist in al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. Because of the famine, the WCK, World Central Kitchen, used to bring some meals for the doctors.
My father would never eat his meal. He used to take it and bring it home for us.
“Regarding new evacuations, any employee who is in the evacuation area or is affected in reaching the hospital, please inform their direct supervisor,” the head manager at MSF sent in a message to my father. I had lost my city, Gaza, when I evacuated on 13 October 2023. I have spent more than twenty months in Deir Al-Ballah so it feels like home.
I might lose my home again amid this genocide.
Khaled Al-Qershali
Khaled Al-Qershali is a writer from Gaza. He has published numerous articles and narratives in various publications, including The Electronic Intifada, Palestine Nexus, and We Are Not Numbers.
This article is dedicated to the memory of these martyrs from Deir Al-Ballah and to all Palestinian martyrs.
