The United Nations relief chief has urged for a renewed humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza as Israel resumed combat operations against Hamas on Friday.
Martin Griffiths, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, warned that people in Gaza are terrified and have no safe places to go.
The Israel Defense Forces said Friday that it expanded its operations into the southern part of the enclave, where it previously told civilians to take shelter.
He said people also have very little food and water. The pause in fighting allowed for more humanitarian aid to cross into Gaza.
Griffiths said the seven-day pause in fighting was “a glimpse of what can happen when the guns fall silent.”
“The situation in Khan Younis today is a shocking reminder of what happens when they don’t,” the relief chief said.
Khan Younis is the largest city in southern Gaza where the IDF dropped leaflets on Friday, calling it a “fighting zone” and telling residents to “evacuate immediately.” The Israeli military also named Khan Younis as one of the places its “ground, air and naval forces struck terror targets” on Friday.
Griffiths also called for “progress in aid delivery” and for the protection of civilians and “life-sustaining infrastructure.”
“We need the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally. We need a humanitarian ceasefire. We need the fighting to stop,” he said.
