Some 570,000 people face catastrophic famine in Gaza, with humanitarian efforts hampered by access and communication issues, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said on social media X.
⠀
“In Gaza, 570,000 people face catastrophic hunger. Intense fighting, access denials and restrictions, and communications disruptions are hampering UNRWA’s ability to provide effective and safe assistance,” the publication said.
⠀
Earlier, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the organization cannot effectively deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip while the enclave is under heavy bombing.
⠀
On October 7, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, announced by the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement.
⠀
After this, the organization’s fighters entered the border areas in southern Israel, where they opened fire on both military and civilians, and also took more than 200 hostages. In Israel, according to the latest data from the authorities, about 1.2 thousand people were killed, this number includes civilians, soldiers, foreign citizens and workers, and it was also reported that more than 5 thousand were injured.
⠀
In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Within a few days, the Israeli military took control of all populated areas near the border with Gaza and began carrying out air strikes on targets, including civilians, in the strip. Israel also announced a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip: the supply of water, food, electricity, medicine, and fuel was stopped.
⠀
At the end of October 2023, the ground phase of the Israeli operation in the enclave began. Gaza City was surrounded by Israeli ground forces, and the enclave was effectively divided into southern and northern parts.
⠀
The number of victims of Israeli shelling of the Gaza Strip since October 7 has exceeded 25 thousand, more than 62 thousand people were injured.
⠀
Hamas claimed that there were about 200-250 hostages in the Gaza Strip. After the end of the truce, Israeli authorities announced that 126 Israelis and 11 foreigners remained hostage with Hamas, and 110 abducted were released.
