The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued a statement on the evening of the 16th, saying that as Israel escalates its military operations in Gaza City in northern Gaza and orders local residents to evacuate, more Palestinians are fleeing their homes. Between the 14th and 15th alone, nearly 48,000 people in Gaza migrated from north to south.
The statement said that in the past 24 hours, Israeli forces have continued shelling and airstrikes inside and outside Gaza City, and announced the expansion of ground operations, once again designating Gaza City as a "danger zone" and ordering local residents to evacuate southward.
The statement noted that OCHA has observed that since mid-August, more than 190,000 people have fled Gaza City, many of whom chose to leave on foot. Displaced families are typically led by women and the elderly, who walk for up to nine hours in scorching heat, often barefoot and carrying injured children.
The statement pointed out that on the 15th, the Gaza health authorities warned that the local blood bank is on the verge of depletion. If not urgently replenished, it may close within a few days. According to partners’ reports, hospitals and clinics in Gaza are still under immense pressure. Only half of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)'s six health posts in Gaza City are still operational.
Additionally, due to the dangerous situation in Gaza, traffic congestion, and frequent looting, aid convoys continue to face delays and risks en route and are unable to deliver supplies to civilians most in need. Humanitarian aid operations to bring in fuel and medical supplies have been cancelled.