The Health Ministry of Palestine in Gaza on Friday said that 1,537 Palestinians have been killed and another 6,612 have been wounded in Israeli airstrikes in the Strip since fighting began on October 7.
Earlier, Israeli military told the UN that everyone living north of Wadi Gaza should relocate to southern Gaza in the next 24 hours, says a UN spokesperson.
According to the UN, this amounts to approximately 1.1 million people – about half the population of the entire Gaza Strip. The affected area includes densely populated Gaza City. The alert was given just before midnight, Gaza and Jerusalem time (23:00 GMT).
Meanhwile, UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, says it has moved its main operations center and non-local staff in Gaza south as Israel warns civilians to evacuate in that direction.
The agency warns Israel that it must protect civilians in UN schools and shelters.
“These UN schools and all other UN shelters are UN facilities. They must be protected at all times and must never come under attack in accordance with international humanitarian law,” it says.
Amidst the escalating violence between Israel and Palestine, the situation in the blockaded Gaza Strip has worsened significantly.
The gravity of the situation is underscored by mounting concerns of alleged Israeli intentions for ethnic cleansing, with the ongoing violence and its devastating impact heightening fears for the safety and security of the Palestinian population.
The increasing death toll and reports of extensive civilian casualties reflect the dire humanitarian crisis in the region, raising urgent calls for international intervention to bring an end to the conflict and ensure the protection of innocent lives.
