News Center- Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary general, held a press briefing on Thursday, giving information about the latest developments on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

“The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that our partners on the ground have observed thousands of people fleeing west toward Al Mawasi, after the Israeli military issued a new evacuation order earlier today,” Farhan Haq said. “Initial estimates from our partners monitoring population in movements in Gaza indicate that more than 15,500 people had been living in those areas, which comprise more than 30 neighborhoods.”

Calling for all parties to the conflict to “respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by taking constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects,” Farhan Haq said, “Meanwhile, the World Food Programme warns that ongoing hostilities, damaged roads, and the lack of public order and safety have severely hampered food transport operations in Gaza, forcing WFP to reduce rations. WFP urgently needs fuel deliveries, increased flow of food supplies, and greater capacity to deliver hot meals, particularly in Gaza City and North Gaza.”

In the West Bank, WFP estimates that the escalation of violence there could push the number of people facing food insecurity up to at least 600,000. At the start of last year, some 352,000 people in the West Bank were food insecure.