In the Gaza Strip, more than 260,000 people have had to leave their homes as Israel continues to attack from the air, land, and sea, according to the United Nations.
This fighting has resulted in thousands of casualties on both sides since Hamas unexpectedly launched an attack on Saturday, leading to Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that “Over 263,934 people in Gaza are believed to have fled their homes,” and this number is expected to increase.
Additionally, approximately 3,000 people were displaced before Saturday due to previous escalations.
Israel has experienced over 1,000 casualties in the worst attack in its 75-year history, while Gaza officials have reported around 900 casualties since the air attacks began.
The airstrikes have caused severe damage to over 1,000 housing units, with 560 rendered uninhabitable, according to Palestinian authorities.
Of those displaced, nearly 175,500 people have sought refuge in 88 schools operated by the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
Another 14,500 have sought shelter in 12 government schools, and roughly 74,000 have stayed with relatives, and neighbors, or found refuge in churches and other facilities.
The current number of displaced people in Gaza is the highest since the 50-day period of increased hostilities in 2014.
OCHA has also cautioned that those who have not been displaced are facing increasing challenges in meeting their basic needs.
Israel has imposed a “complete siege” on the already blockaded Gaza Strip, cutting off the supply of food, water, fuel, and electricity.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that this will worsen the already severe humanitarian situation in the region.
