Humanitarians provide relief in bombed Gaza school as injured treated in hospitals: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) — UN humanitarians said on Monday their partners are providing relief to families returning to the Al Taba’een school in Gaza City, bombed by the Israeli military over the weekend.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the school-turned-shelter was reportedly hosting hundreds of displaced families and people were performing the dawn prayer at the school’s prayer hall when the attack occurred on Saturday.
OCHA said its partners in Gaza City helped families who returned to the school with drinking water, food parcels, hot meals, hygiene kits, and clothing. They also provided children and their parents with psychological first aid and psychosocial support.
“Casualties (from the attack) were brought to Al Ahli hospital, which is one of the 16 hospitals that remain only partially functional in the Gaza Strip,” OCHA said. “The hospital is overwhelmed by this mass casualty incident amid shortage of medications, clean water and beds.”
The humanitarians said bombardment and hostilities continued to kill, injure and displace Palestinians in Gaza, and damage and destroy the homes and infrastructure they rely on, such as the school.
The UN Human Rights Office said the attack was at least the 21st strike on a school since July 4, each one of the schools serving as a shelter, resulting in at least 274 fatalities, including women and children.
OCHA said two evacuation orders were issued by the Israeli military over the weekend for Khan Younis, mostly for areas previously placed under evacuation.
“Initial mapping indicates that the areas affected by these orders encompass about 23 displacement sites, 14 water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and four educational facilities,” OCHA said. “In total, about 305 square kilometers, or nearly 84 percent of the Gaza Strip, have been placed under evacuation orders by the Israeli military.”
The office said that the United Nations called for all parties to the conflict to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including by taking constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects. This included allowing civilians to leave for safer areas and allowing their return as soon as circumstances permit. People must be able to receive humanitarian assistance, whether they move or stay.
Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the UN chief condemned the continued loss of life in Gaza, including women and children, and underscored the need to ensure the protection of civilians and for unimpeded and safe humanitarian access into and across Gaza.
“The secretary-general reiterates his urgent appeal for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages,” the spokesman said. ■