More than 400,000 people have fled their homes in the Gaza Strip and more than 20 aid workers have been killed since the start of Israel's retaliatory strikes in response to a deadly Hamas incursion, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.
The agency launched an appeal for nearly $294m (about R5.6bn) to help about 1.3-million people in Gaza and the West Bank, of which nearly half is programmed for food aid as supplies run out.
"Mass displacement continues. In the Gaza Strip, the cumulative number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) increased by 25% over the past 24 hours, now exceeding 423,000, of whom over two-thirds are taking shelter in UNRWA schools," OCHA said, referring to the UN Palestinian refugee agency.
It said 23 aid workers have been killed since the weekend, including 11 health workers and 12 UNRWA employees.
Reuters
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.