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UN warns Gaza hospitals, civilians face mounting risk as fighting and blockade continue
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Summary
The United Nations reported escalating civilian casualties, widespread displacement and the closure of key health facilities in Gaza, and called for an immediate ceasefire, protection of humanitarian workers and the lifting of the blockade to allow aid in.
The United Nations briefing office said intense hostilities across the Gaza Strip have killed and injured hundreds of Palestinians in recent days, overwhelmed hospitals and forced thousands to flee, and urged immediate measures to protect civilians and restore humanitarian access.
At the UN noon briefing, the spokesperson said OCHA (the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and health partners reported at least 250 people killed over the preceding 36 hours, citing the Ministry of Health in Gaza. UNICEF described the reported killing of at least 45 children over two days as a “devastating reminder” that children are suffering and must be protected, the spokesperson said.
The UN and health partners reported that attacks have damaged or closed hospitals, including the European Gaza Hospital and a facility in Khan Yunis, and that closures have cut off neurosurgery, cardiac care and cancer treatment that are not available elsewhere in Gaza, the World Health Organization told the briefing. A strike near the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza raised the risk of further closures, WHO said via the briefing.
The briefing said some 17,000 people were displaced from Jabalia and Beit Lahia in the north since the previous afternoon, and that thousands more have fled parts of eastern Deir al-Balah and eastern Khan Yunis. The spokesperson said all crossings into Gaza remained closed for the entry of cargo for a 75th consecutive day, severely constraining UN and partner movements and hampering humanitarian response.
Despite the blockade and access constraints, the UN reported a localized increase in hot meals after community members shared remaining food stocks: 18 kitchens that had previously closed were able to reopen, producing about 340,000 hot meals compared with fewer than 250,000 the previous day. The briefing stressed that those meals were prepared from local stocks and not from UN food supplies.
The UN reiterated calls for protection of civilians, an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire, and the lifting of the blockade to permit the delivery of desperately needed supplies and aid. The spokesperson emphasized that attacks on health-care facilities and humanitarian workers must stop and that parties must ensure safe humanitarian access.
The briefing also noted that ongoing displacement, health-facility closures and constrained humanitarian operations risk a rapid deterioration in public health and nutrition.
The UN spokesperson said the organization and partners continue to mobilize assistance as the situation permits and will provide updated figures and operational details as they become available.
