UN: 52,000 Palestinian displaced in Israeli attacks

GENEVA, May 18 -- The United Nations (UN) said at least 52,000 people had been displaced in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli attacks on the area and the number of people sheltering in UN schools is increasing, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.

Jens Laerke, Geneva spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told AA during a twice-weekly UN media briefing in Geneva that the number of displaced people has surpassed 52,000 since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“We have an additional influx into our schools. As I mentioned, there are 47,000 as of this morning in UNWRA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) schools. So it is climbing that number, and there are above 52,000 total IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons),” he added.

Laerke said OCHA welcomed the Israeli authorities opening of Kerem Shalom crossing for essential humanitarian supplies.

“It is critical that Erez crossing is also opened for the entry and exit of critical humanitarian staff,” he said.

The UN spokesman said power supplies across Gaza are still limited to six to eight hours a day on average due to damage to feeder lines and networks.

“This disrupts the provision of health care and other basic services including water, hygiene, and sanitation,” said Laerke.

He said six hospitals and nine primary health care centres had been damaged, with one centre sustaining severe damage and one hospital unable to function due to a lack of fuel.

-- BERNAMA