In Gaza, new beginnings never come without a price. Displacement by Israeli bombing and ground invasion forces families to leave behind entire lives: a familiar corner of home, the smell of morning coffee, a notebook holding stories of interrupted lives. These losses are emotional, ripping away the daily artifacts that help remind people who they are.

They are also financial. The cost of Nozoh, or displacement, often exceeds what families can afford. Basic necessities become out of reach — or the cost of leaving itself is too high.

When the Israeli military attacks residential areas in Gaza, the government’s press operation highlights evacuation orders that it has issued in the places to be bombed. Western mainstream media outlets repeat these claims, perpetuating the simplistic idea that any civilian residents have had ample opportunity to flee. Even if that were always true, it would overlook the complications families face during Nozoh — and how the financial burden can force them to stay in place, waiting for the shelling to start.

A rough breakdown of minimal expenses for a family relocating from northern Gaza to the south illustrates the scale of the challenge.

Transportation costs come to around 6,000 – 8,000 shekels — about $1,800 – 2,400 in U.S. dollars. A basic tent will cost 3,500 shekels. Food to survive the first few days will be 500 shekels or more. Renting an empty plot of land with no facilities will amount to 500 shekels. 1,500 shekels will be needed to set up a primitive bathroom. Nails, wood, or materials to build makeshift shelters will cost 500 shekels or more.

Altogether, even the lowest estimate comes to a total of at least 10,000 shekels — approximately $3,000 — just to cover the initial phase of displacement. With Gaza’s economy destroyed by Israel’s relentless genocide, leaving most people with little to no income, these costs are out of reach for many Palestinians.

“Before the genocide, life was simple,” said my friend Sundus, a........

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