More than 36,000 displaced in Gaza amid latest Israeli attacks: UN

The UN on Tuesday said more than 36,000 people have been displaced across the Gaza Strip since Israel’s latest attacks on Gaza City began earlier this month.

“People continue to flee in fear for their lives, seeking safety wherever possible,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“Between Aug. 14, when the offensive on Gaza City was announced, and yesterday, partners tracking population movements in Gaza recorded more than 36,200 displacements, including over 11,600 from the north to the south of the Strip,” he said.

Of these, more than 2,000 were recorded between Aug. 24 and 25, he added.

He said: “The majority of displaced people came from neighborhoods in Gaza City, with more than two-thirds moving to Deir al Balah and nearly a third heading to Khan Younis.”

At the same time, Dujarric noted that “hostilities across the Gaza Strip, including Israeli shelling and airstrikes, continue to have a devastating impact on civilians.”

The Israeli military has also issued “a new displacement order covering approximately one square kilometer in Gaza City’s Ad Daraj and Ash Sheikh Radwan neighborhoods,” he added.

Dujarric further emphasized that the aid operations remain heavily restricted by Israeli authorities, as he stated that “yesterday, six out of 12 planned missions that required coordination with the Israeli authorities were facilitated,” adding that three missions were impeded, two were cancelled, and one road repair mission in Khan Younis “was outright denied.”