GENEVA/GAZA: The United Nations reported on Wednesday that more than 680,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced across Gaza in the last three months, as Israel’s military operations continue to escalate.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), highlighted that Israeli authorities issued a new displacement order on Tuesday, impacting hundreds of families in the Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah areas.
Dujarric further noted that this new evacuation zone covers an additional three square kilometers, bringing the total area under displacement orders or within Israeli-militarized zones to over 82% of Gaza. According to OCHA, nearly 250,000 Palestinians have been forced to flee their homes in the past 30 days alone, accelerating the mass displacement.
The UN spokesperson also expressed concern about the proximity of healthcare facilities to the newly designated evacuation zones. Five primary healthcare centres and three medical points are within 1,000 meters of the evacuation areas, further exacerbating the challenges faced by the displaced.
Since October 2023, Israeli military operations in Gaza have resulted in more than 55,600 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children.
In response to these actions, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the ongoing conflict. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its military actions in Gaza.
In addition to displacement, attacks on aid sites have continued. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that at least 33 people, including 11 civilians waiting for humanitarian aid, were killed on June 18 due to Israeli fire.
Over 100 others were injured in the attack at a food distribution point in central Gaza. The Israeli military claimed its forces fired warning shots after spotting “a group of suspicious individuals” but were unaware of the injuries.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with severe shortages of food, water, and fuel due to Israel’s ongoing blockade, which has remained largely in place since March.
On the same day as the food distribution attack, 19 more people were killed in three Israeli airstrikes targeting homes and a tent sheltering displaced persons. The military stated these airstrikes were aimed at dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities.
The death toll from an Israeli airstrike northeast of Gaza City later that day rose by three more victims, bringing the number of casualties to a staggering level. Due to media restrictions and security concerns, AFP was unable to independently verify the exact figures.
This series of escalating attacks and displacements has resulted in a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with global calls for action to address the growing suffering of the Palestinian population.
