Some 80 percent of Gaza’s residents are now displaced, according to the UN humanitarian coordinator for the territory, Sigrid Kaag, who said Tuesday she was “deeply concerned” by the new evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military.
“More than a million people are once again displaced, seeking shelter and safety, (bringing) the number of people displaced across Gaza to 1.9 million,” Kaag said at UN headquarters.
About 2.4 million people live in the besieged Palestinian territory, which was bombed by Israel in retaliation for the deadly attack by the Islamist movement Hamas on October 7.
The United Nations estimates that up to 250,000 people are affected by the Israeli military’s order for civilians to evacuate Al-Qarara, Bani Suhaila and other towns near Khan Younis.
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“Palestinian civilians in Gaza are plunged into an abyss of suffering. Their lives are shattered. The war has not only created the deepest humanitarian crisis. It has unleashed a maelstrom of human misery,” added Sigrid Kaag.
Aid is arriving in the Gaza Strip in insufficient quantities, she continued. The opening of new crossing points, particularly in the south of the territory, is essential to avoid a worsening of the humanitarian crisis.
Ms Kaag called on the international community to do more to fund aid delivery efforts to Gaza residents.
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The Israeli army’s offensive in the Gaza Strip has left 37,925 dead, mostly civilians, according to data from the Health Ministry of the Hamas-run Gaza government.
The Hamas attack on Israeli soil resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data.
Of the 251 people kidnapped during the attack, 116 are still being held hostage in Gaza, including 42 who have died, according to the army.
Challenge (with AFP)
