UN: Israeli attacks in Gaza continue to put civilians at risk

The United Nations said Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip continue to put civilian lives at serious risk and increase humanitarian needs.

The statement was made on Monday by UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq during a press briefing at the organisation’s headquarters in New York, as he assessed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip.

Haq said: “The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that military attacks across Gaza continue to put Palestinians at risk and increase humanitarian needs.”

He said that security and safety partners had recorded multiple such incidents since Friday, several of which reportedly resulted in casualties among civilians.

Meanwhile, Haq said humanitarian teams working to clear explosive hazards in Gaza had located and marked more than 1,000 pieces of explosive ordnance since the conflict began in October 2023.

He added that their efforts have helped with the removal of debris, access to critical infrastructure and the restoration of water and sanitation facilities.

The UN warnings come as Israel’s military genocide campaign in the Gaza Strip continues, with US support, since October 2023. According to Palestinian figures, it has killed 73,381 people and injured 174,231 others, most of them children and women. The war has also destroyed 90 per cent of the enclave’s infrastructure and displaced huge numbers of Palestinians, many of whom have been forced to flee in harsh weather and dire conditions. The UN estimates reconstruction costs at about $70 billion.