The Road

The coastal road in Gaza was even busier than normal this week.

Gazans have already endured two years of a war, under heavy Israeli bombardment, that has killed tens of thousands, destroyed much of the territory and caused a humanitarian crisis. But on Tuesday, a new panic set in after Israel began its long-threatened military offensive in Gaza City.

Trucks, cars, tractors, tuk-tuks, donkey carts and even supermarket wagons have been pressed into service as people of all ages flee south. After two years of war between Israel and Hamas, the vast majority of the vehicles are battered, missing windshields and other parts.

The costs of transport and fuel have skyrocketed. Renting a truck or a tractor — if you can find one — can cost as much as $1,500, and some families have joined together to share the expense.

They take whatever food they have with them. Gazans are struggling with widespread hunger that began after Israel imposed several restrictions on aid entering the enclave and continued even after the Israelis lifted the blockade and unveiled a new system for distributing food. A U.N.-backed panel of food experts has declared that some areas are experiencing famine, which Israel has rejected.

The mood on the road out of Gaza City when this photograph was taken was solemn. Many people, especially women, had been trying to get some rest on the side of the road whenever they found shade.

Now, they were on the move again.

Some were trying to get to an area about six miles away that Israel has described as a humanitarian zone, though aid agencies have warned that it cannot handle the influx. Others were hoping to stay with relatives or find some place to set up a tent. Some said they did not know where they would end up.

The scenes were reminiscent of the early days of the brief cease-fire between Israel and Hamas at the start of this year — but it was a mirror image.

Back then, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians returned to their homes in Gaza City in the hope that the warring sides were moving closer to ending the conflict. Now, many are heading in the opposite direction, and the cautious optimism they once allowed themselves feels like a distant dream.