The death toll in Israel from attacks by Palestinian armed groups, and in Gaza due to Israeli bombardments, has continued to rise, with mass displacement soaring across the enclave, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office, OCHA, said on Wednesday.
Over a tenth of the population in Gaza, more than 260,000 people, have been displaced since the start of the current conflict on 7 October and the numbers are rising fast.
More than 175,000 people are sheltering in schools operated by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, which has some 13,000 staff in the enclave.
UNRWA on Wednesday reported that the death toll among its employees had risen to nine. The agency has repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting civilians, including in conflict.
Senior UN officials, including the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, continue engagement with parties to the conflict and key stakeholders.
Mr. Wennesland held “productive meetings” on Wednesday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and other senior officials, according to a post on his official account on X, formerly Twitter.
He said the priority is to avoid further loss of civilian lives and provide access for humanitarian aid into Gaza.
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