Crisis in Gaza: New Evacuations, Overcrowded Shelters, and Health System on the Brink – Highlights of the noon briefing by Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General (excerpt on the crisis situation in Gaza) – 22 July 2024

22 July 2024

(Excerpt)

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Occupied Palestinian Territory

Turning to Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says it has received initial reports that families in Gaza are starting to flee toward Deir al Balah and western Khan Younis, following today’s evacuation order issued by the Israeli military. Both areas are already heavily overcrowded, with limited services and shelter spaces available.

Today’s evacuation directive includes areas located in the eastern part of what had been designated by the Israeli military as a so-called “humanitarian zone.”

Our OCHA colleagues say that frequent evacuation orders and relentless hostilities are further devastating Gaza’s health system – making it increasingly difficult for people who have been repeatedly displaced to access essential services. The Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis has issued a new call for people to donate blood, with reports that the facility has received dozens of casualties today alone.

Meanwhile, OCHA warns that humanitarian workers in Gaza continue to face enormous risks, including to their personal safety. As you may have seen yesterday a convoy of our UNRWA colleagues was shot at by Israeli forces as they were heading north to Gaza City. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA said there were no casualties, but UNRWA’s teams had to duck and take cover. He noted that they had been traveling in clearly marked UN armored vehicles and were wearing UN vests. Mr. Lazzarini said that one vehicle was severely damaged while waiting just ahead of the Israeli forces’ checkpoint south of Wadi Gaza.

He said the convoy’s movement was coordinated with the Israeli authorities – and that those responsible for yesterday’s incident must be held to account. Meanwhile, our humanitarian partners report that people in Gaza continue to face severe water shortages. Between July 8th and 21st of this month, the daily average water supply was about 90,000 cubic metres – about a quarter of the amount produced prior to October of last year.

Damage to infrastructure, the lack of electricity, and shortages of fuel, spare parts and chlorine continue to hamper water production and purification, as well as sewage pumping.

And turning to the West Bank, UNICEF reported today that on average, one Palestinian child has been killed every two days in the West Bank – including East Jerusalem – since October of last year.

UNICEF says that 143 Palestinian children have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since October, a spike of nearly 250 per cent compared to the preceding nine months.

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