On Monday, crowds of displaced Palestinians were evacuated en masse from the Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza. This evacuation comes after thousands of individuals were trapped in the camp for days. The Israeli military campaign in and around the camp has resulted in over 400 casualties, leaving residents in extremely difficult humanitarian conditions.
Drone footage released by the Israeli military depicted Palestinians being escorted past the camp's bombed-out buildings. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the footage showcased the safe evacuation of civilians through organized routes. The IDF also mentioned that several individuals suspected of belonging to terrorist groups were arrested during the operation.
However, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) disputed the Israeli military's account of the evacuation. UNRWA reported that Israeli forces had allegedly besieged and forcefully evacuated seven UNRWA schools in Jabalya Camp, which were serving as shelters for displaced Palestinians. During the evacuation, one of the UNRWA schools was directly hit by artillery shells, resulting in seven fatalities and multiple injuries.
Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya described the situation at Kamal Adwan, the sole operational hospital in northern Gaza, as extremely challenging. A World Health Organization (WHO) team attempting to deliver blood and food supplies to the hospital was obstructed by the Israeli military, exacerbating the dire circumstances.
Furthermore, northern Gaza has been facing a severe lack of aid supplies since the beginning of the month, further worsening the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the region.
