No fewer than 260,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip as heavy Israeli bombardments from the air, land, and sea continue to hit the Palestinian enclave, the United Nations reveals.
It went on to say that severe combat has killed dozens on both sides since Hamas launched a surprise attack on Saturday, prompting Israel’s retaliatory bombing campaign.
“Over 263,934 people in Gaza are believed to have fled their homes,” said UN humanitarian agency OCHA in an update Tuesday, warning that “this number is expected to rise further”.
Prior to Saturday, it said that around 3,000 people had been displaced “due to previous escalations.”
“More than 1,000 people have been killed in Israel in the worst attack in the country’s 75-year history, while Gaza officials have reported 900 people killed since the air strikes began,” the UN added.
According to OCHA, the bombing campaign has destroyed over 1,000 dwelling units, and 560 have been seriously damaged, rendering them unusable.
“Among the displaced, nearly 175,500 people sought shelter in 88 schools run by the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
“More than 14,500 others had fled to 12 government schools, while close to 74,000 were estimated to be staying with relatives and neighbours or seeking shelter in churches and other facilities.
The number of displaced people inside Gaza “represents the highest number of people displaced since the 50-day escalation of hostilities in 2014,” it said.
“Meeting basic needs is becoming increasingly challenging for those who have not been displaced,” OCHA warned.
A “complete siege” on the already blockaded Gaza Strip, cutting off food, water, fuel, and electricity, has been imposed by Israel, a move that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned will exacerbate an already severe humanitarian situation.
