The war between Israel and Hamas has displaced more than 260,000 people in the Gaza Strip, a besieged enclave and target of Israeli retaliation for Saturday’s attack by the Islamist group, the UN announced.
Before Saturday, the United Nations had already registered more than three displaced people in the territory “as a consequence of previous escalations”, bringing the total to more than 263,000, according to the French agency AFP.
In addition to the displaced, the current conflict between Israel and Hamas has caused more than 1,200 deaths on the Israeli side and 950 in Gaza, according to data updated today by both sides.
The Gaza Strip is a territory 41 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide, located between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
Controlled by Hamas since 2007, it has around 2.3 million inhabitants and is one of the most densely populated territories in the world.
Following the attack and the taking of civilian and military hostages by Hamas, on Saturday Israel announced a total siege of the Gaza Strip, with the suspension of the supply of electricity, water, food and medicine.
Israeli forces have carried out airstrikes and destroyed buildings described as Hamas “command centers” in Gaza.
Most of the displaced have taken refuge in schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which lost four members in the Israeli bombings.
Some of the agency’s staff are taking shelter in some of the organization’s schools in Gaza, although 14 facilities were damaged.
“The United Nations agency is also a victim of the conflict,” said UNRWA, quoted by the Spanish agency EFE.
UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma, who is based in Amman, Jordan, described the agency’s staff, which includes health professionals and teachers, as “unsung heroes” who provide “services to people in need.”
“They tell us that they are terrified and that many, many of them have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety,” he added.
Source: TSF
