Meanwhile, hundreds of people remain trapped in eastern Khan Younis as fighting continues.
“We reiterate that all parties to the conflict must comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by ensuring continued sparing of civilians and civilian objects,” said Farhan Haq, deputy UN spokesman, speaks in New York.
“This means that civilians are allowed to leave for safer areas and that they are allowed to return as soon as possible when circumstances allow. People must be able to receive humanitarian assistance whether they move or stay.”
Humanitarian operations affected
On Monday, the Israeli army ordered people to leave Khan Younis.
The UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHAsaid evacuation orders and intense hostilities have destabilized relief efforts and hampered efforts to provide essential aid to civilians.
A dozen food distribution points and eight cooked meal distribution points were forced to suspend operations this week. Feeding programs in two shelters that support more than 2,800 children and pregnant women were also disrupted.
In addition, 10 water and sanitation facilities were affected, including water reservoirs, desalination plants and sewage pumping stations, which had to cease their activities.
Six education partners in Khan Younis were also forced to suspend their activities, affecting some 20,000 children who benefited from mental health services and recreational activities, and around 1,500 others in 10 temporary learning spaces.
Medical deployment stopped
Furthermore, efforts to send additional medical teams to Gaza are hampered by ongoing insecurity and the designation of only one entry and exit point for humanitarian workers: the Kerem Shalom crossing.
OCHA noted that none of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are functioning. While 16 are partially functional, some provide only minimal health care.
The UN agency added that efforts to collect and distribute humanitarian supplies entering Gaza continue to be hampered by access restrictions, ongoing hostilities, damage to infrastructure and a lack of public order and security.
Since the start of the Israeli operation in Rafah in early May, the amount of aid received through the border crossings has fallen by 56 percent since April.
