Gaza Strip Evacuation March... UN Says "120,000 People Flee Homes"

Residents of the Palestinian Gaza Strip are fleeing en masse to escape the fierce retaliatory attacks by the Israeli military following a surprise assault by the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

A family in Israel evacuating to avoid a missile attack recently launched from the Gaza Strip. Photo by AP Yonhap News

According to TASS news agency on the 9th (local time), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that "as of 9 PM on the 8th, 123,538 Palestinians have been displaced."

The population of the Gaza Strip is approximately 2.3 million.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said in a press release, "The number of people forced to leave their homes in search of safety has increased significantly overnight," adding, "About 74,000 people are staying in 64 UNRWA shelters, and this number is expected to rise if airstrikes continue."

The agency added, "Schools sheltering more than 225 displaced persons have been directly attacked multiple times," emphasizing, "Schools and civilian facilities, including shelters, must never be targeted."

Residents of northern Gaza Strip, including the central city of Gaza City, are moving south to avoid airstrikes, but civilian casualties continue to occur.

A spokesperson for the Gaza Strip Ministry of Health reported, "After Israel cut off electricity, hospitals relying on old generators have been overloaded."

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) issued a statement urging, "Please establish a humanitarian corridor to supply food to the Gaza Strip."

WFP stated, "While shops in affected areas have stocked up on a month's worth of food, residents fearing a prolonged conflict are buying in large quantities, which could lead to faster depletion."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.