Hundreds of families displaced again as Israeli forces cross Gaza's 'yellow line'

Hundreds of families were forced to flee eastern districts of Gaza city, Shujaiya, Al Shaaf and Jabalia Camp early on Thursday as Israeli tanks rolled across the “yellow line” demarcating areas of Israeli and Hamas control under a US-brokered ceasefire.

Residents who spoke to The National described their terror as the Israeli military's advance forced them to flee in the middle of the night with little besides the clothes they were wearing

“On Wednesday night, we heard intense gunfire,” said Mazen Al Kurd, 40, a father of seven from Jabalia camp. “Then the vehicles started advancing towards us. We couldn’t carry anything, we just ran, barefoot and terrified.”

After months of living in makeshift shelters, his family had only recently returned to the site of their home, now in ruins. They set up tents beside the rubble, believing the area was safe enough to start over after the October 10 ceasefire.

Under the ceasefire, the Israeli military withdrew to the east of the “yellow line”, which it demarcated with painted concrete blocks.

Mr Al Kurd said his family walked five kilometres to spend the night at the home of relatives, then tried to return the next morning to collect their belongings. “But we were shocked to find that the yellow concrete blocks had been moved closer,” Mr Al Kurd said. “The army had expanded its control zone, taking over the areas near the yellow line.”

Smoke rises from an area hit by Israel bombing east of Nuseirat, in central Gaza, on November 21.