Thousands of displaced Gazans lack food, water in Khan Younis, Health Ministry warns

More than 30,000 displaced Palestinians lack food, water and medicine in the southern city of Khan Younis, Gaza’s Health Ministry warned on Thursday.

The Israeli army has slapped a tightening siege around the Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis since last week as part of an Israeli offensive in the city.

“More than 30,000 displaced people in schools near the Nasser Medical Complex lack water, food, baby formula, and medicines,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement.

He appealed to the UN agencies “to take urgent actions to provide the living and health needs for the displaced people.”

Israel has mounted a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, killing at least 27,019 Palestinians and injuring 66,139, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.