‘There seems to be no end to the horrors that Palestinians in Gaza are forced to endure’

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Guterres condemned the significant number of civilians casualties inflicted by the intensifying Israeli military campaign in northern Gaza. It comes as an attack on a school turned shelter in Nuseirat killed over 20 people, as per reports.

Guterres strongly urged all parties to the conflict to abide by the international humanitarian rules and emphasised that civilians must be protected at all times, UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a regular press briefing in the US.

Hospitals in Gaza have been noting an influx of trauma injuries. The military operation has forced the closure of medical points, bakeries and shelters, and even triggered the suspension of protection services and malnutrition treatment services.

Escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza

On Monday, Joyce Msuya, the acting UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said: “There really is no safe place in Gaza for people to go,” adding “there seems to be no end to the horrors that Palestinians in Gaza are forced to endure.”

The brutal situation in Gaza erupted on October 7 last year as Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israeli cities, killing some 1,200 people and taking several others hostages. Israel’s retaliatory strikes, on the other hand, have already claimed over 42,000 lives.

The escalating crisis is also having a disastrous impact on food security for thousands of Palestinian families. If the conflict continues to escalate at the current rate, experts are unclear abour the duration these limited food supplies could last.