UN: More than 40,000 Palestinians displaced over the past two days

GAZA, Sept. 18 (YPA) -The United Nations has reported that ongoing Israeli military attacks on Gaza have triggered the forced displacement of more than 40,000 Palestinians over the past two days.

Speaking at a daily press briefing, UN Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric described the situation in Gaza as “deteriorating by the hour,” noting that the Israeli military had issued new evacuation orders for residents over the next two days.

“Thousands are trying to flee as fighting continues,” Dujarric said. “As you can imagine and see, the roads are jammed, people are hungry, and children are suffering from psychological trauma.”

According to UN field partners monitoring population movements, approximately 40,000 people were displaced southward on Monday and Tuesday alone. Since mid-August, nearly 200,000 individuals, primarily women, children, and the elderly, have been forced to walk for hours to escape the violence.

Dujarric also relayed warnings from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which reported that the attacks are forcing women to give birth in the streets without access to hospitals, medical personnel, or clean water.

The agency estimates that 23,000 women in Gaza currently lack essential maternal care, and that roughly 15 children are born each week without any medical assistance.

When asked about the impact of the ongoing Israeli offensive on next week’s UN General Assembly meetings and the prospects for advancing a two-state solution, Dujarric acknowledged the gravity of the situation.

“The Secretary-General is fully aware that the war in Gaza and the worsening conditions in the occupied West Bank are pulling us further away from the path toward a two-state solution,” he said. “But we will not allow the realities on the ground to undermine our efforts or our vision for a just and peaceful future.”

@E.Y.M