The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has renewed its humanitarian call for a ceasefire and emphasized the need to continue working to support the population in Gaza. It pointed out that the number of Palestinian casualties has reached 18,205, with children and women accounting for 70% of them, due to the ongoing intense Israeli airstrikes from the air, land, and sea throughout the region.
According to the United Nations Information Center, the Israeli airstrikes have targeted residential homes in areas in the west and central parts of Rafah, which the Israeli army had designated as safe for Palestinian refugees.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also reported that the “Kamal Adwan” hospital in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, remains surrounded by Israeli forces and tanks. Currently, the hospital houses 65 patients, including 12 children in intensive care and 6 infants in incubators. Approximately 3,000 displaced individuals are still waiting for evacuation from the hospital amid severe shortages of water, food, and electricity.
It was further stated that tens of thousands of displaced individuals who have arrived in Rafah, southern Gaza, since December 3rd, continue to face extremely crowded conditions inside and outside of shelters. Large crowds wait for hours at aid distribution centers, hoping to receive food, water, shelter, healthcare, and protection.
The UN office noted that approximately 121,000 liters of fuel have entered the Gaza Strip from Egypt, exceeding the daily average of 67,000 liters over the past three days. This increase is deemed essential to prevent the collapse of basic services.
The United Nations humanitarian community continues its tireless efforts to meet the basic needs of Gaza’s residents wherever the need arises, emphasizing the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire.
