The top UN aid official in the Palestinian territories on Thursday called for the protection of civilians amid ongoing Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. ‘The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) continues to notify people in Gaza City that those who stay in their homes will put themselves in danger,’ Lynn Hastings, UN humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, said in a statement. ‘For people who can’t evacuate – because they have nowhere to go or are unable to move – advance warnings make no difference,’ she said. ‘When the evacuation routes are bombed, when people north as well as south are caught up in hostilities, when the essentials for survival are lacking, and when there are no assurances for return, people are left with nothing but impossible choices,’ Hastings added. ‘Nowhere is safe in Gaza.’ She went on to say: ‘In some cases, the notification urges people to go to a humanitarian area in Al Mawasi (in southern Gaza). While the United Nations is aware of references to a ‘humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi,’ the United Nations intends to deliver aid wherever people in need are located.’ The UN official said aid will be delivered to people in need whenever they are located in the Palestinian territory. Hastings further said even the conduct of armed conflict is governed by international humanitarian law. ‘This means that civilians must be protected and have the essentials to survive, wherever they are and whether they choose to move or stay,’ she said. ‘It also means that hostages – all hostages – must be released, immediately and unconditionally.’ Israel has launched relentless airstrikes on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas into Israeli territory on Oct. 7. Over 8,400 people have been killed in the conflict, including at least 7,028 Palestinians and 1,400 Israelis. Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been running out of food, water, medicine, and fuel, and aid convoys allowed into Gaza have carried only a fraction of what is needed.
Source: Anadolu Agency