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Armed conflict incidents impacting UNRWA facilities and displaced persons seeking shelter in the Gaza Strip

UNRWA

16 Apr 2024

Introduction

Since the start of the war on 7 October 2023, people forced to flee their homes across the Gaza Strip have sought safety and protection under the United Nations (UN) flag, primarily in UNRWA premises.i These buildings, the coordinates of which are shared with parties to the conflict on a regular basis,ii and are clearly marked as UN premises, have been impacted by armed conflict incidents resulting in extensive damage, disruption to services and civilian fatalities at an unprecedented scale.

Incidents impacting UNRWA premises

Between 7 October 2023 and 15 March 2024, UNRWA documented 349 incidents impacting its premises and internally displaced persons (IDPs) sheltering in and around them. This resulted in the killing of at least 408 IDPs (including at least 15 children and seven UNRWA staff) and injury to at least 1,406 IDPs (including at least 111 children and 43 UNRWA staff). This includes 51 incidents of interference by parties to the conflict.iii A number of UNRWA premises have been impacted multiple times, as illustrated in the below table.

For example, the Khan Younis Training Centre (KYTC), which was sheltering 34,407 people up until heavy fighting started in the area at the end of January, UNRWA documented 23 separate incidents. Of the 349 total incidents documented between 7 October 2023 and 15 March 2024, 298 involved munitions apparently fired by parties to the conflict impacting UNRWA premises, including explosive weapons from land, air and sea, and small arms fire. UNRWA installations across the Gaza Strip have been impacted, resulting in hundreds of casualties.