The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that Israeli authorities have issued new evacuation orders for civilians in Gaza, particularly in the Al-Bureij area of Deir al Balah governorate, in anticipation of impending attacks. These orders come as part of Israel’s response to ongoing rocket fire from Gaza into its territory.

Despite repeated attempts by the UN to coordinate safe evacuations and humanitarian aid delivery, Israeli authorities have denied several coordination requests. OCHA noted that six out of ten coordination attempts on Friday were rejected outright, with only two proceeding successfully. This has severely hampered efforts to deliver essential supplies to the besieged regions of North Gaza.

Civilians across Gaza, many of whom have already been displaced multiple times, are fleeing with minimal belongings to areas that remain unsafe and lack basic necessities. Humanitarian organisations, including the UN, are working tirelessly to provide support under increasingly challenging conditions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the critical state of medical evacuations, reporting that 55 patients and 72 companions were transferred from Gaza to the UAE for treatment on Tuesday. Since October 2023, over 5,300 patients have been evacuated abroad, yet more than 12,000 critically ill individuals, including children, remain on waiting lists. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that it could take years to evacuate all patients, with many deteriorating or dying in the interim.

Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of UNRWA, the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, emphasized the agency’s indispensable role in Gaza. Since the conflict's escalation in October 2023, UNRWA has provided 6.7 million medical consultations, food assistance to nearly 2 million people, and mental health support to 730,000 individuals. However, Israeli legislation set to ban UNRWA operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory could jeopardize these efforts.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reiterated that under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, would bear responsibility for humanitarian needs should UNRWA cease operations. The UN warns that such a scenario would lead to immense suffering for Gaza’s population, already enduring extreme hardship.

The situation in Gaza remains dire, with the international community urging immediate action to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian crisis.

IANS