The UN Office for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory has reported that displaced Palestinians are enduring “unimaginable horror” after ten months of Israeli hostilities, repeated forced displacement, the rapid spread of diseases, and continuous deprivation of essential life necessities. Schools have become the last refuge for some shelter and access to food and water.
According to the UN, despite Israeli claims that all measures are taken to avoid harming civilians, the repeated strikes on shelters for displaced people and the continuous impact on civilians highlight Israel’s failure to comply with international humanitarian law, including principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attacks.
The UN noted that systematic Israeli attacks on schools sheltering those affected are part of a broader plan involving the demolition of residential buildings and restrictions on humanitarian aid access and distribution.
The UN Office condemned Israel’s claims of the presence of Palestinian armed groups in these schools as a justification for bombing them, affirming that such attacks violate international humanitarian law.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, stated that “the displaced continue to bear the brunt of this conflict amid horror, displacement, and endless suffering.” He emphasized the devastating toll on lives, citing the destructive strikes on a school sheltering thousands of displaced Palestinians.
Wennesland urged all parties to prioritize the protection of displaced civilians, reach a ceasefire agreement, and secure the release of hostages in Gaza.
