UNRWA reports 205 humanitarian workers killed since October 7

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 Aug 2024 23:33

UNOSAT latest findings estimate that 63% of structures in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged.

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Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike on a school run by UNRWA, the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees, in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, May 14, 2024 (AP)

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported on Thursday that as of August 7, 205 of its humanitarian aid workers were killed since October 7.

The agency said in its latest Situation Report that the ongoing Israeli assaults have resulted in "civilian casualties, displacement of people, and the destruction of residential structures and public infrastructure."

🔹63 per cent of structures in the Gaza Strip are assessed as destroyed or damaged says @UNOSAT

🔹The health system remains barely functional with 90 hospitals & primary health care centres not functioning says @WHO https://t.co/9r3sqtUFF3 pic.twitter.com/lvcpmTtST1
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) August 9, 2024

The UN agency also stated that nine out of ten Palestinians, or approximately 1.9 million people, in the Gaza Strip are experiencing internal displacement, with some being forced to relocate up to ten times.

Many displaced individuals are in overcrowded shelters with inadequate facilities, leading to a heightened risk of disease outbreaks, the agency said. The lack of clean water and proper sanitation exacerbates the already dire living conditions, making the need for hygiene support critical.

The health system remains "barely functional with 90 hospitals and primary health care centers not functioning," the agency noted, adding that it does remain a "major actor in the health sector, providing health services across 10 primary health centers and up to 100 mobile medical points across the Gaza Strip."

Moreover, UNOSAT findings estimate that 63% of structures in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed or damaged. Recent analysis shows a significant increase in damage, particularly in the North Gaza and Rafah governorates, where around 17,300 new structures have been damaged.

Specifically, in Rafah city, following a ground invasion that began on May 6, the total number of damaged buildings now stands at 13,237, with 76% of these newly assessed as damaged.