The UN Sunday warned of worsening humanitarian conditions in northern Gaza, where more than 400,000 Palestinians are facing increasing pressure to move south due to the interruption of basic supplies.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator in the occupied Palestinian territory Muhannad Hadi said in a statement that since the beginning of October, the Israeli authorities have increasingly cut off supplies north of the Gaza Strip, as the Erez and Western crossings are no longer open to transfer supplies from the south and new displacement orders were issued on October 7, 9 and 12.

The area has witnessed an escalation in hostilities, leading to more suffering and casualties among civilians. In the past two weeks, more than 50,000 people have been displaced from the Jabalia area, which has become isolated. Others have been unable to leave their homes amid escalating shelling and fighting, the statement reads.

Recent military operations resulted in the closure of medical centres, bakeries and shelters, stymieing access to
protection services and malnutrition treatment. Medical efforts are also intensifying in hospitals witnessing a large influx of casualties.

The UN called for protecting civilians and open routes for vital supplies and urged the need to provide a safe humanitarian response, as civilians should not be forced to choose between displacement and starvation, but rather should have safe options including shelter, food, medicine and water.

It called for giving civilians who leave the opportunity to return to their homes, noting the different parties’ commitment to upholding the international humanitarian law.

Source: Jordan News Agency