Monday’s directive is the fourth evacuation order for the area since July and covers about three square kilometers.
OCHA Emphasize again that repeated evacuation orders – currently in effect for about 80% of the Gaza Strip – leave civilians exposed to the risk of hostilities and deprived of access to essential services.
‘Tightening the siege’ in the North
The agency noted that North Gaza province has been under a tight siege for nearly two months, leaving some 65,000 to 75,000 people without regular access to food, water, electricity or reliable health care, as mass casualties continue.
Meanwhile, aid partners report that the entire population of Gaza needs humanitarian assistance, including more than 58,000 people with disabilities who face further challenges in accessing food.
In the South, some people skip meals, rummage through trash cans to find food, or resort to desperate measures such as forcing relatives into child marriage or child labor.
Aid missions are hindered
Despite the dire situation, OCHA warns that humanitarian access continues to be hindered.
“In November, of the 578 aid movements planned across Gaza that required coordination with Israeli authorities, 41% were facilitated. More than a third were flatly rejected, with the remainder stymied or canceled due to security and logistical challenges.
OCHA reiterated that civilians must be able to receive the humanitarian assistance they need, adding “whether they move or stay, they must be supported and must be protected – and those who flee must be allowed to return as soon as circumstances permit. ”
