Intensified military strikes on Gaza City have inflicted severe casualties, targeting tents, residential buildings, and critical infrastructure, according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The agency reported the closure of several health facilities and community kitchens in the area as the Israeli military operation intensifies.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher warned of the devastating toll the conflict is taking on children in Gaza. “They’ve been bombed, maimed, starved, burned alive, buried in the rubble of their homes, separated from their parents…scraping through the rubble for food, enduring amputations without anaesthetic,” he said during an event at the UN General Assembly in New York. Fletcher urged the implementation of provisional measures from the International Court of Justice, emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza while also acknowledging the tragedies faced by Israeli children during recent Hamas-led attacks.
Recent updates from OCHA paint a grim picture. For instance, on September 19, a four-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl tragically lost their lives when an Israeli strike hit their tent in Al Mawasi, Khan Younis. The ongoing conflict has exacerbated food scarcity in Gaza, with the price of a two-kilogram bundle of bread soaring to over $9, compared to just 30 cents at UN-supported bakeries earlier this year.
Between September 17 and 23, out of 94 coordinated attempts to deliver aid through Israeli authorities, only 35 were successful. Since the closure of the Zikim crossing on September 12, no aid has been collected in northern Gaza, compelling humanitarian partners to transport supplies from the south, often facing severe congestion on Al Rashid Road and security threats.
Conditions in southern Gaza have become desperate, with families crammed into makeshift tents along the beach or overcrowded schools. Others are left exposed in the open amidst rubble while essential services struggle to meet an overwhelming demand. Fighting continues in Gaza City, alongside rocket fire from Palestinian armed groups targeting Israel on September 21.
In just a 48-hour span from September 19 to 20, OCHA recorded at least 51 deaths in 18 attacks on residential buildings, most of which involved civilian casualties. Displacement from Gaza City has surged due to renewed evacuation orders from Israel and ongoing military operations, leading to what OCHA describes as “additional waves of displacement.”
The Allenby Bridge, a crucial crossing for aid relief from Jordan through the occupied West Bank, remains closed following a deadly incident involving a Jordanian truck driver and Israeli soldiers. In August, around 25% of the relief items entering Gaza came via this route, including food and other essential supplies.
Latest reports from Gaza authorities between September 18 to 24 reveal that 357 Palestinians were killed, and 1,463 were injured. Since the onset of the conflict on October 7, 2023, over 65,400 have died, with 167,160 injured. The toll on those seeking aid has also been catastrophic, with over 2,500 fatalities and more than 18,500 injuries recorded since May 27, 2025. Additionally, as of September 19, 440 deaths due to malnutrition-related causes, including 147 children, have been documented, highlighting the urgent need for intervention and aid.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, calls for humanitarian access and assistance grow increasingly urgent, emphasizing the need for a coordinated effort to address the escalating humanitarian crisis.
Original Source: https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2025/09/1165948
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Publish Date: 2025-09-25 17:30:00
