Over 680,000 Palestinians forced to relocate amid continuing Israeli strikes
A girl is walking through demolished school in Gaza. PHOTO: REUTERS
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The United Nations announced on Wednesday that more than 680,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced across Gaza in the past three months as Israeli military operations continue to intensify.
At a press briefing, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric cited the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), revealing that on Tuesday, Israeli authorities issued a new displacement order affecting hundreds of families in the Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah areas.
Dujarric highlighted that five primary healthcare centres and three medical points are located within 1,000 metres of the newly designated evacuation zones.
OCHA further noted that the expanded displacement zone now covers an additional three square kilometres, bringing the total area under displacement orders or within Israeli-militarised zones to more than 82 per cent of Gaza.
The mass displacement has accelerated sharply, with nearly 250,000 people forced to flee in the past 30 days alone, according to the UN.
Since October 2023, Israel has conducted a fierce offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in over 55,600 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children.
In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Gaza conflict.
Additionally, Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its military actions in the territory.
Attacks on aid sites continue
Meanwhile, Gaza's civil defence agency reported that at least 33 people were killed on June 18 by Israeli fire, including 11 civilians queuing for humanitarian aid.
Over 100 others were wounded during an attack on a food distribution point in central Gaza, spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP.
The Israeli military said its troops fired warning shots after spotting 'a group of suspicious individuals' near the area, but were unaware of any injuries.
The incident occurred amid severe shortages of food, fuel, and water in Gaza, where Israel's blockade has remained largely in place since March.
On the same day, the civil defence agency said 19 more people were killed in three Israeli strikes targeting homes and a tent sheltering displaced persons.
The military said these strikes aimed to dismantle Hamas' military capabilities.
Bassal also reported three deaths from an Israeli airstrike northeast of Gaza City.
AFP could not independently verify casualty figures due to media restrictions and security concerns.
The report followed Tuesday's attack near an aid centre in Khan Yunis, where at least 53 people were killed.
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