Nearly 800 000 Palestinians ‘have fled Rafah’

Nearly 800,000 Palestinians have fled the southern Gaza city of Rafah, the UN said, as “israeli” planes and tanks pounded areas across the besieged strip overnight Monday.

The United Nations said there has been a massive movement of people since “israel” launched its military operation in Rafah on 6 May.

Philippe Lazzarini of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Palestinians were fleeing to areas without water supplies or adequate sanitation.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) says it has not been able to maintain a presence at the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossings since May 5, a day before Israel started it’s assault on Rafah.

According to the latest figures from Unrwa, only 60 UN humanitarian trucks have entered the Gaza Strip through the two crossing since May 5, an average of just 4 trucks per day.

At least 87 UN humanitarian trucks entered Gaza through these two crossing in April per day, still significantly less than the 500 trucks that would enter the Strip per day prior to “israel’s” genocide.

Fierce fighting continues in northern Gaza, with “israeli” jets and helicopter gunships firing on the Jabalia refugee camp and Gaza City

Gaza’s Media Office has said “israel” is barring the entry of 3,000 aid trucks and preventing 690 sick and wounded people from travelling abroad for medical treatment as the Rafah and Karem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) border crossings remain closed

If fuel and aid do not begin to enter Gaza soon, “the famine we’ve warned about will no longer be looming – it will be present”, the UN’s humanitarian aid chief warned

“israel” renewed air strikes and artillery shelling on the al-Qasaib neighbourhood of Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp. The bombing continues after Zionist army ground forces reentered the area earlier this week.

Doctors Without Borders reported that at least 34 people have been admitted to al-Awda hospital following the strikes.

The hospital – one of the last functioning in the Gaza Strip – is without drinking water, the group said.

“Staff and patients are sheltering inside amid the fighting,” the group said, noting that the hospital is surrounded by Nazi forces.