Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #29 [EN/AR/HE]

Hostilities and casualties (Gaza Strip).

Israeli ground operations in northern Gaza have continued, with troops and tanks reportedly surrounding Gaza city from multiple directions. Further clashes with Palestinian armed groups have been reported, alongside intense bombardments across the Gaza Strip, including in the Middle and southern areas.
Between 3 November (noon) and 4 November (14:00), 231 Palestinians were killed in Gaza, bringing the reported fatality toll since the start of the hostilities to 9,488, including 3,900 children, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza. About 2,000 others are reported missing in Gaza, including 1,250 children. Most are presumed to be trapped under the rubble.
At least 70 Palestinians were killed and another 60 injured, according to the MoH, during two separate airstrikes in the past 24 hours, hitting two schools sheltering IDPs in the Jabalia Refugee Camp, north of Gaza city. Most of the fatalities are said to be women and children. Since the start of hostilities, 258 school buildings have sustained damage, representing more than 51 per cent of all schools in Gaza.
On 4 November, four Israeli soldiers were reportedly killed in Gaza, bringing the total number of soldiers killed since the start of ground operations to 28, according to Israeli sources.

Access and movement (Gaza Strip)

No movement of dual nationals, internationals, or patients from Gaza to Egypt was reported on 4 November. Media reports indicated that Hamas, demanding guarantees of safe passage, had prevented people from reaching the crossing, following an Israeli attack on the ambulance convoy leaving Shifa hospital to Rafah on 3 November. More than 1,100 people reportedly crossed from Gaza to Egypt on 2 and 3 November.
On 4 November, the Israeli military continued calling on residents of Gaza city and northern Gaza to move southwards and announced that people would be allowed to do so safely between 13:00 and 16:00. According to Israeli sources, Palestinian armed groups attacked Israeli forces as that were attempting to enable the access of people southwards.
On 4 November, 30 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies crossed from Egypt into Gaza through Rafah crossing. Since 21 October, 451 trucks have entered Gaza. Of these, at least 158 trucks carried food, 102 carried health supplies, 44 carried water or hygiene products, 32 carried non-food items, and eight carried nutrition supplies, with the remaining trucks carrying mixed cargo.
The Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, which prior to hostilities was the main entry point for goods, remains closed. The Erez pedestrian crossing with Israel also remains closed.

Displacement (Gaza Strip)

Nearly 1.5 million people in Gaza are internally displaced (IDPs). Of them, 710,275 are sheltering in 149 UNRWA facilities, 122,000 people are in hospitals, churches, and public buildings, 109,755 people are in 89 non-UNRWA schools (previously 82), and the remainder are residing with host families.
Overcrowding conditions continue to create severe health and protection risks for IDPs and are taking a heavy toll on their mental health. Damage to water and sanitation infrastructure and the limited availability of fuel to pump water creates additional public health risks. Several cases of acute respiratory infections, diarrhea and chicken pox have already been reported among people taking refuge at UNRWA shelters.
Over 530,000 people are sheltering in 92 UNRWA facilities in the southern governorates of Deir Al Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah areas. Shelters have exceeded their capacity and are unable to accommodate new arrivals. Many IDPs are seeking safety by sleeping in the streets, near to UNRWA premises
An estimated 160,000 IDPs are housed in 57 UNRWA facilities in the north and in Gaza city. UNRWA, however, is no longer able to provide services in those areas and does not have accurate information on people’s needs and conditions since the Israeli evacuation order on 13 October.

Attachments