Continued violence leave Gaza civilians with nowhere to seek safety: UN official

GENEVA - The continued violence has left Gaza civilians with nowhere safe to go, Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said Monday in a statement issued following his visit to Syria and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Less than a year after the International Court of Justice issued its first provisional orders on the application of the Genocide Convention in Gaza, the sustained intensity of violence means there is nowhere safe for civilians in the Strip, Fletcher noted.

Fletcher described the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where airstrikes on densely populated areas, including zones designated by Israeli forces as relocation sites, have resulted in widespread destruction, displacement and loss of life. He also reported a collapse of law and order in Gaza, with armed gangs systematically looting humanitarian supplies, further obstructing relief efforts.

Despite the overwhelming humanitarian needs, Fletcher revealed that Israeli authorities have consistently denied UN access to delivering aid, rejecting over 100 requests to enter northern Gaza since Oct 6. The blockade has left northern Gaza under near-total siege for almost two months, raising fears of famine. Meanwhile, overcrowding in southern Gaza has created severe living conditions, which continue to deteriorate as winter exacerbates humanitarian needs.

Fletcher also talked about the worsening situation in the West Bank under Israeli control.

"In the past year, Israeli military operations resulted in the destruction of essential infrastructure such as roads and water networks, especially in refugee camps from which families have been displaced. Rising settler violence and home demolitions have resulted in displacement and growing needs. Movement restrictions are impeding people's livelihoods and access to essential services - especially healthcare." said the UN official.

Fletcher also noted that Gaza has become one of the most dangerous places for humanitarian efforts in a year marked by unprecedented risks for aid workers globally.