UN says nearly 400,000 displaced since end of Gaza ceasefire

UNITED NATIONS, United States — Nearly 400,000 Gaza residents have been displaced in the weeks since Israel resumed military operations in the territory, with relentless attacks leading to "large-scale civilian casualties," the UN secretary-general's spokesman said Monday.

"Survivors across Gaza are being displaced repeatedly and forced into an ever shrinking space where their basic needs just cannot be met," said spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

"Overall, we estimate that nearly 400,000 people have been displaced yet again since the breakdown of the ceasefire."

Much of the Gaza Strip's population of roughly 2.4 million people had already been displaced at least once between October 7, 2023 when the war began with a deadly Hamas raid into Israel, and the start of the ceasefire in January.

In a joint statement, the heads of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, World Health Organization, UNICEF and World Food Programme appealed "to world leaders to act -- firmly, urgently and decisively -- to ensure the basic principles of international humanitarian law are upheld."

Vast numbers of Gazans are "trapped, bombed and starved again, while, at crossing points, food, medicine, fuel and shelter supplies are piling up, and vital equipment is stuck" amid an Israeli humanitarian and commercial blockade in its second month, they added.

"We are witnessing acts of war in Gaza that show an utter disregard for human life," the agency chiefs said.

"Assertions that there is now enough food to feed all Palestinians in Gaza are far from the reality on the ground, and commodities are running extremely low."