In recent days, hundreds of families have reportedly been displaced in two eastern neighborhoods of Gaza City following attacks and the movement of military equipment, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Wednesday.
Investigation and accountability
They asked him about the murder of the children, which occurred on Saturday.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the attack in a social media post, saying that troops had identified two terrorists crossing the “yellow line” in northern Gaza, posing an immediate threat to them.
The incident was “horrible to say the leastDujarric said.
“It is difficult to understand how two children, ages eight and ten, can be considered a threat.. And there needs to be an investigation and accountability for what happened.”
Support to the health sector in Rafah
Across Gaza, the UN and its partners continue to help people in need, wherever access is available, and six additional healthcare service points have opened since Sunday.
“Yesterday in Rafah, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) also managed to reach the European Hospital, which remains non-functional, to move some vital equipment to functioning health facilities,” he said.
However, attempts to access the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza continue to be denied by Israeli security authorities.
WHO also facilitated the referral and transfer of the first patient to the Emirates field hospital since before the Rafah incursion last year, which had left the facility inaccessible. It is the only functioning medical center serving the Rafah area.
Winter supplies for vulnerable households
Meanwhile, winter preparations are a key priority, Dujarric said, and the UN and its partners continue to deliver shelter supplies and other critical items to the most vulnerable households.
“Since Sunday, some 4,400 families have received tents, tarps, blankets, winter clothing and kitchen utensils. throughout Gaza through deliveries coordinated by the UN,” he said.
“In addition, our partners managing displacement sites report that work is underway to help prepare suitable sites for those seeking to leave high-risk areas, including coastal communities.”
Moving to safety
Aid workers report that in Khan Younis, an estimated 4,000 households live along the coast, with around 1,000 at especially high risk due to their proximity to the waterline.
Some of these families have reportedly begun moving to the two sites deemed safe by the local municipality.
Efforts also continue to improve access to water and sanitation. The partners report that In the last 48 hours, 42 trucks of debris have been removed reach three wells in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, and repairs are expected to begin soon.
Meanwhile, unexploded remnants of war continue to pose a deadly threat to civilians. Over the past week, partners working in the sector were able to conduct 50 assessments across Gaza to help reduce risks for humanitarian workers.
Last week, six people were reportedly killed and 10 others injured in two incidents involving explosive devices in Gaza City and Deir Al-Balah.