New York, Sept 30 (V7N) – The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has voiced grave concern over the intensifying Israeli military operations in Gaza City, where deadly strikes have killed scores of displaced Palestinians, including people collecting firewood for cooking.

In a statement on Monday, OHCHR in the Occupied Palestinian Territory condemned the pattern of destruction, displacement, and subsequent attacks, stressing that “the Israeli military is destroying Gaza City, forcing Palestinians to flee, and then killing them when they seek shelter in Middle Gaza, especially in and around An Nuseirat Camp.”

According to the agency, Israeli strikes escalated in the northwestern part of the Middle Gaza governorate over the past week, covering An Nuseirat and Az Zawaida. At least 12 incidents were documented in five days, leaving 89 Palestinians dead, the majority of them civilians, including many women and children. The attacks hit IDP tents, homes, and a crowded market in An Nuseirat Camp, where at least 17 people were reportedly killed.

The statement also reported the use of airstrikes from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), artillery shelling, and live gunfire against Palestinians gathering firewood in northern Middle Gaza. Between 1 August and 23 September, OHCHR verified 14 such incidents that killed 21 Palestinians, including at least one child.

The office recalled that Israel has completely blocked the entry of cooking gas since 2 March 2025, leaving residents reliant on firewood from destroyed buildings and broken furniture as their only source of fuel. OHCHR emphasized that Israel is obligated under international law to distinguish between combatants and civilians and to refrain from targeting civilians. “The strikes which kill many Palestinians, including children and women, as well as the use of live ammunition against those collecting firewood, appear to amount to attacks directed at civilians not directly participating in hostilities,” the office said.

Meanwhile, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) reported that shelling and airstrikes have continued across Gaza, including in Gaza City’s Ar Rimal, Beach Camp, and Tal al Hawa. Humanitarian teams are working to sustain bakeries and community kitchens. On Sunday, aid partners prepared and delivered some 658,000 meals across the enclave, though access to northern Gaza remains severely restricted. Daily meal deliveries there have fallen from 170,000 in mid-September to about 50,000, as operations shifted to central and southern areas.

OCHA noted that approximately 50 communal ovens in Gaza City remain operational, helping 2,700 families bake their dough free of charge. However, the agency reminded that no food aid has been allowed into northern Gaza from the Zikim crossing for more than two weeks.

Displacement continues at scale, with 6,900 movements recorded on Sunday alone through four monitoring points. Since mid-August, almost 453,000 displacements have been documented across Gaza, the majority originating from Gaza City.

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