Gaza Crisis: 11 Schools Hit, Nearly 100 Dead This Month as 80% of Population Displaced

As humanitarian conditions deteriorate in Gaza, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that at least 11 schools serving as shelters for internally displaced individuals have been hit this month, resulting in nearly 100 deaths, the UN website reported yesterday.

Approximately 80% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced due to Israel’s year-long offensive, with many living in dire conditions in damaged structures and tents, facing severe shortages of food, water, and other essentials.

OCHA warns that flooding risks will rise as winter approaches, heightening the threat of disease outbreaks. In September, nearly 90% of humanitarian movements between northern and southern Gaza have faced restrictions or denials.

From September 22 to 26, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported 103 Palestinian deaths, bringing the total death toll since the conflict escalated on October 7, 2023, to at least 41,534. The Israeli military reported no casualties among its soldiers during operations in the same period, with a total of 346 soldiers killed since the onset of the ground war.

In the occupied West Bank, movement restrictions have increased by over 20% since June 2023, exacerbating living conditions for many Palestinians. Violence continues, with 11 Palestinians killed in the West Bank between September 17 and 23, including two children.