Displacement in Gaza and Israel, Afghan earthquake response — Global Issues

Over 120,000 people have been internally displaced in Gaza due to concerns over their protection and the destruction of homes, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, speaking in New York.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, is sheltering roughly 137,000 people in 83 of its schools across the Gaza Strip.

Six health care workers have been killed and four others injured, with seven health care facilities and nine ambulances damaged.

Mass displacement due to protection concerns and damage to civilian property has also been observed in Israel.

In Gaza, humanitarians report that damage to water, sanitation and hygiene facilitates has undermined services to more than 400,000 people. The Gaza Power Plant – now the only source of electricity – could run out of fuel within days.

Mr. Dujarric said the World Food Programme (WFP) began delivering fresh bread and canned food for up to 100,000 people sheltering in UNRWA schools.

WFP plans on starting to roll out assistance to up to 800,000 people, depending on funding. The agency requires $16.8 million to reach 805,000 people in the next month.

Meanwhile, the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, reported detecting explosions near Al-Boustan in the southwest on Monday afternoon.

“While they are working to gather more information, the Head of the Mission and Force Commander, Aroldo Lázaro Sáenz, is in contact with the parties, urging them to exercise maximum restraint and utilize the Mission’s liaison and coordination mechanisms to prevent further risks of escalation and loss of life,” he said.

Afghanistan: Earthquake response continues

The UN and partners continue to ramp up response to the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Herat province in western Afghanistan on Saturday, killing some 1,300 people.

The epicentre of the quake was in Zindajan district, where reports indicate that 100 per cent of homes have been destroyed, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Monday.

It is estimated that more than 12,000 people have been affected across five districts of Herat province. Several hundred households have also been displaced to the provincial capital, also called Herat.

Numbers are expected to rise in the coming days, as search and rescue efforts and assessments continue.

The UN has deployed assessment teams to the area and is providing emergency shelter supplies and other items, including blankets, warm clothes, food, hygiene kits and water buckets. Partners have also deployed health teams and are providing trauma and emergency surgery kits.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Afghanistan, Daniel Endres, has also approved a $5 million allocation from a fund for Afghanistan to support immediate relief efforts.