A senior official from the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Thursday he was extremely concerned over intensifying Israeli military operations in northern Gaza - including Gaza City - and warned against any attempt to annex parts of the West Bank.
Ajith Sunghay, Head of OHCHR 's Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), told UN News that the escalation has caused extensive destruction to residential buildings in southern parts of North Gaza governorate and in northeastern areas of Gaza City.
This has led to further civilian casualties and forced displacement, with local health authorities reporting that 816 Palestinians were killed between 26 August and 1 September - nearly double the number of fatalities compared to the previous week.
Nowhere to go
Roughly one million Palestinians reportedly remain in the north, and he said they are being pushed into increasingly smaller areas in the west of the enclave.
"Many are unable to relocate - there are no safe areas and movement is dangerous. Others are still trapped in eastern Gaza City, with humanitarian workers unable to reach them," he said.
Meanwhile, Israeli military attacks on people seeking aid continued across the Gaza Strip, where humanitarians are still struggling to bring in desperately needed supplies.
OHCHR has recorded over 2,146 deaths in the vicinity of sites run by the US and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which began operations in late May, and along convoy routes.
