Israel continues to bombard the Gaza Strip with bombs, rockets, and shells in response to the sudden attack launched by Hamas on Saturday morning.
With discussions of an imminent ground invasion of Gaza, the United Nations announced on Friday that more than 423,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to intense Israeli bombing since Hamas's sudden and violent attack on southern Israel on Saturday. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated in a report that the number of displaced individuals in the densely populated area of 2.3 million people had risen by "an additional 84,444 people by Thursday evening, bringing the total to 423,378 displaced." OCHA mentioned in its statement on Friday that "the heavy Israeli bombardment, from air, sea, and land, has continued almost uninterrupted." It added, "Numerous residential buildings in densely populated areas were targeted and destroyed during the last 24 hours." According to the statement, more than 270,000 people, or two-thirds of those displaced, sought refuge in schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Strip, while about 27,000 people took shelter in schools managed by the Palestinian Authority. The remaining displaced individuals, totaling more than 153,000, found refuge with relatives and neighbors, and in a church and other facilities in Gaza City.
**Destruction of 752 Buildings in Gaza**
OCHA reported, citing the Gaza Ministry of Public Works and Housing, that the intense bombardment by Israel has caused the destruction of 752 buildings, both residential and non-residential, which contain 2,835 housing units. Additionally, 1,800 other housing units sustained irreparable damage and became uninhabitable. The UN agency also expressed concern over the significant destruction of civil infrastructure in the Strip due to the Israeli bombing.
**Targeting of 90 Educational Facilities**
According to the statement, at least 90 educational facilities have been impacted, including 20 UNRWA schools and 70 schools managed by the Palestinian Authority, resulting in partial damage, while one school was completely destroyed. OCHA stated, "Eleven mosques were targeted and destroyed, while seven churches and mosques sustained damage." It added that many water and sanitation facilities were also affected, noting that since the airstrikes began, six water wells and three pumping stations, a reservoir, and a desalination plant serving more than 1.1 million people have been damaged.
**Palestinian Health Situation**
Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila stated in a report today that "Gaza is facing a humanitarian and health disaster." She urged all countries and humanitarian and health organizations to urgently provide immediate health support to the hospitals in the Gaza Strip.
