UN: 86% of Gaza either evacuated or turned into military zones
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Aug 19, 2025
Tehran, IRNA -- The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says approximately 86% of the Gaza Strip has now been either evacuated or turned into military zones.
"Some 86 percent of the Gaza Strip is already under displacement orders or in Israeli-militarized zones. The remaining areas - including some of Gaza city and parts of the southern coast - are overcrowded and ill-equipped to sustain human survival at scale," OCHA said in a news release on Monday.
The office also warned against Israel's plan to take over Gaza City, which will force Palestinians in the north of the Gaza Strip to move to the south.
The plan to intensify military operations in Gaza City will have "a horrific humanitarian impact" on people already exhausted, malnourished, bereaved, displaced, and deprived of basics needed for survival, OCHA said.
"Forcing hundreds of thousands to move south is a recipe for further disaster and could amount to forcible transfer," it added.
It also said that hospitals in southern Gaza are working at several times their capacity, as they are forced to accommodate patients from the northern regions, which would have "life-threatening consequences."
Meanwhile, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the situation in Gaza is "beyond catastrophic."
Dujarric expressed concern over Israel's simultaneous announcement of easing aid restrictions while planning further military operations in the region.
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, Israel's war has killed at least 62,004 people and wounded 156,230 others since early October 2023.
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