The United Nations voiced deep concern on Tuesday regarding Israel’s sustained bombardment of the central Gaza Strip, urging Israeli forces to employ all available measures to ensure the protection of civilians.
In communication with AFP, the UN Human Rights Office underscored the necessity for all attacks to comply with international humanitarian law.
‘We are gravely concerned about the continued bombardment of Middle Gaza by Israeli forces,’ rights office spokesman Seif Magango said in a statement on Tuesday.
‘It is particularly concerning that this latest intense bombardment comes after Israeli forces ordered residents from the south of Wadi Gaza to move to Middle Gaza and Tal al-Sultan in Rafah.’
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At least 70 individuals were reported dead as a result of an Israeli air strike on Sunday in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp, according to the Gaza health ministry. AFP, however, was unable to independently confirm this casualty count.
According to the Hamas militant group, there were 50 reported strikes in central areas early on Monday, with the Nuseirat refugee camp being among the affected locations.
Magango said the death toll from such strikes came amid ‘a deepening and already catastrophic humanitarian situation’.
He said roads to the camps had been damaged, ‘obstructing relief aid from reaching those in need, and shelters and hospitals still minimally operating are critically overcrowded and under-resourced’.
The deadliest Gaza conflict on record erupted when Hamas launched an offensive on southern Israel on October 7, claiming the lives of approximately 1,140 individuals, predominantly civilians, according to AFP’s calculation based on Israeli data.
Two hundred fifty hostages were seized, and as of now, 129 are still held captive within Gaza.
A comprehensive campaign involving aerial bombardment, siege, and ground invasion by Israel has led to the death of 20,915 people, mainly women and children, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry under Hamas administration.
‘We restate our warning that all attacks must strictly adhere to the principles of international humanitarian law, including distinction, proportionality and precaution in attack,’ said Magango.
‘Israeli forces must take all measures available to protect civilians. Warnings and evacuation orders do not absolve them of the full range of their international humanitarian law obligations.’
Israel’s military confirmed on Tuesday that it had targeted more than 100 sites in the past 24 hours, comprising military facilities and tunnel shafts in central Jabalia and Khan Yunis in the south, as heavy ground combat persisted.