On Monday, the United Nations agency tasked with supporting Palestine refugees reported that it had received information suggesting that a group of individuals, impersonating officials from Gaza's health ministry, had "removed" fuel and medical supplies from the agency's premises on Sunday. It was implied that these items may have been stolen. The agency initially shared a statement about this incident on an unspecified platform but subsequently deleted the post.
The UN agency, known as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), underscored in the now-deleted post that the fuel and other materials were maintained for exclusively humanitarian purposes, and any other use was strongly condemned.
According to UNRWA, its staff at the Gaza headquarters had been compelled to evacuate the premises on October 13. Since then, access to the compound has been restricted, and no further details regarding the removal of these assets were available.
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas continued, the United Nations reported that approximately one million individuals had been displaced from their homes since Israel launched a sustained aerial offensive on Gaza in response to Hamas's deadly attack on October 7.
Hamas's assault had resulted in over 1,400 deaths on the Israeli side, with the majority being civilians. Conversely, on the Gazan side, Israeli strikes had led to the death of at least 2,670 people.
Israel had taken measures to disrupt the supply of water, electricity, and food to the densely populated coastal enclave. Nevertheless, the supply of water to southern areas was restored on Sunday.
UNRWA's director of communications, Juliette Touma, informed AFP that more individuals were likely to be displaced "as people continue to leave their homes." Israel was mobilizing its forces and weaponry along the Gaza border in anticipation of an anticipated ground offensive.
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