UNRWA: 1.7m displaced in Gaza since Israel’s aggression

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has revealed that the number of displaced individuals in the Gaza Strip has reached approximately 1.7 million since 7 October.

In a statement issued today, UNRWA said: “As of 19 November, nearly 930,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are now sheltering in 156 UNRWA installations across all five governorates of the Gaza Strip, including in the north. Nearly 770,000 IDPs are sheltering in 99 facilities in the Middle, Khan Younis and Rafah areas.”

It warned that “the over-crowding is leading to significant spread of diseases, including acute respiratory illness and diarrhoea, raises environmental and health issues, and limits the Agency’s ability to provide services.”

Adding that in the last two weeks there has been a 35 per cent increase in skin diseases and a 40 per cent increase in cases of diarrhoea.

According to UNRWA, there is a need for approximately 800 trucks daily for two or three months to provide the required resources in Gaza.

UNRWA has also said that as many as 104 UN employees have been killed in Gaza since 7 October, “the largest number of UN relief workers to be killed in a conflict in UN history.”

Since the start of the Israeli aggression on the Strip 45 days ago, the number of Palestinians who had been killed by Israel has increased to over 13,000, including more than 5,500 children. The Ministry of Health has been unable to update figures as it did during the start of the aggression as a result of the lack of fuel and isolation of northern Gaza which has meant insufficient information is being received about fatalities in the area.

READ: UNRWA Director warns of imminent humanitarian crisis in Gaza amid fuel and aid shortages