Israel marks three years since Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks

Rushdi Abualouf
Gaza correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Three years after the Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023, the overriding fear among many Palestinians I have spoken to is no longer simply about how the war will end.

It is about whether Gaza’s Palestinians will ultimately be able to remain on their land.

Over recent weeks, I have spoken to officials from Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, as well as figures from 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 Palestinians currently lack either the military or political means to prevent such a scenario if it were to unfold.

That fear has become one of the defining features of Gaza three years after 7 October.

The territory Palestinians inhabit today bears little resemblance to the Gaza that existed before the war. Large parts have been devastated.

Much of the population remains displaced, many living in tents and makeshift shelters, while access to food, clean water and medical treatment remains severely restricted.