The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that airstrikes, shelling, and gunfire continued across the Gaza Strip over the past two days, killing dozens, including children and other civilians, according to reports.
The area surrounding Al-Aqsa Hospital was bombed, destroying a medical storage facility and, according to the World Health Organization, destroying essential medical supplies. Due to the proximity of the attack site, the hospital building sustained only minor damage.
Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN, quoted the Ministry of Health as saying that more than 150 people, including dozens of civilians, were killed in July, the highest monthly toll since the beginning of the year.
Most of the attacks were recorded in central Gaza, which comprises less than half of the Strip’s area and is home to the majority of its 2.1 million residents.
OCHA stressed that international humanitarian law mandates the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and prohibits targeting them. The UN spokesperson stated, “Healthcare facilities must never be attacked or militarized.”
In a related context, UN partners warned of the continued impact of funding restrictions on the scarcity of essential medical supplies, including insulin for diabetics and heart disease medications.
