UN raises alarm over potential destruction of Palestinian population in Gaza

The UN Human Rights Office is concerned about the possible destruction of the Palestinian population in north Gaza because of the Israeli military conducting hostilities, affecting supply of aid and passing orders that are leading to forced displacement.

Israeli authorities prevented the entry of all essential supplies to north Gaza in the period from October 1 to 14, exacerbating the already fragile situation in the enclave. Insufficient amounts of humanitarian aid seems to have entered the north after October 15.

The UN Human Rights Office raised serious concerns over the existing precarious situation around Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun. The relief supplies entering the territory do not address the needs of the population effectively.

Israel accused of attacking residential buildings, schools

The Israeli military has demanded that all civilians leave north Gaza, but it continues to relentlessly bomb and attack the area, according to OHCHR. These attacks are making it incredibly dangerous for Palestinians to seek shelter in other places.

The brutal Israel-Gaza conflict erupted on October 7 as Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israeli cities, killing some 1,200 people. The Israeli military’s retaliatory strikes, on the other hand, have already claimed over 42,700 lives, as per official reports.

On October 19, one strike on a residential block in Beit Lahiya killed at least 87 Palestinians, according to the health ministry in the enclave. The UN Human Rights Office stressed that Israel has destroyed residential buildings and attacked schools serving as shelters.