United Nations relief workers reported on Friday that an estimated 250,000 people in parts of East Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza have begun moving in response to an Israeli evacuation order.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) adjusted its estimates of the affected population area from one-third to one-quarter of the Gaza Strip, or from 117 to 85 square kilometers. The displaced individuals have moved toward West Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, areas that are already densely populated and lack essential services, vital infrastructure, shelter materials, and even sufficient space.
OCHA’s estimates indicated that more than 9,000 displaced families are residing in a specific area in Khan Younis, and about 1,000 additional individuals are living in an area in Deir al-Balah with only 650 tents. The UN office added, “All these families are in dire need of clean drinking water, with people, especially children, spending long hours in lines every day to get water.”
