The United Nations announced on Monday that it had to stop the movement of aid and aid workers in Gaza due to a new Israeli evacuation order for the Deir al-Balah area, which had become a hub for its workers.
A senior UN official initially stated that UN operations had completely stopped in the Strip, but later clarified that operations "in situ" and "embedded" with local populations would continue.
The UN had relocated most of its personnel to Deir al-Balah following a Rafah evacuation order several months ago.
The Israeli military announced on Monday that it was targeting "terror operatives" in Deir al-Balah and working to dismantle the remaining "infrastructure" of Hamas, whose attack on southern Israel on October 7 triggered the war in Gaza. The military has instructed people to evacuate immediately.
According to the UN humanitarian agency (OCHA), 15 premises hosting UN and NGO aid workers and four UN warehouses were affected, either being in or near the area ordered to evacuate.
After reports emerged that the UN had shut down its Gaza operations, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, clarified that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees was continuing operations, albeit under restrictions.
Sam Rose, senior deputy field director for UNRWA in Gaza, added that health services continue across eight or nine primary healthcare centers and over 90 health points. However, he expressed concerns that the UN and humanitarian system's ability to operate in Gaza is becoming increasingly difficult.
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