Israeli bombardments on Gaza City continue to take toll on Palestinians: UN

UNITED NATIONS - The escalating Israeli bombardments and ground operations in Gaza City are taking a growing toll on Palestinians, UN humanitarians said Wednesday.

The Rantisi Children's Hospital in Gaza City was struck multiple times overnight, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), quoting the Gaza health authorities. There were 80 patients at the facility, including 12 children and infants in intensive care. Half of the patients and their caregivers were forced to flee, under fire, in search of safety.

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said Israel's military offensive in Gaza is forcing women to give birth in the streets, without hospitals, doctors or clean water. It said that 23,000 women are going without care, and about 15 babies are being born each week with no medical help.

OCHA said its humanitarian partners reported that since the collapse of the ceasefire in March, 80 medical points and primary health care centers providing sexual and reproductive health outpatient services have been affected, with 65 out of service.

The Israeli army on Wednesday ordered people to leave Gaza City within the next 48 hours and move south along a temporary passageway, said OCHA.

Thousands of people continue to flee, amid active hostilities. Roads are congested, people are hungry, and children are traumatized, it said.

Between Monday and Tuesday, UN humanitarian partners monitoring the movement of people in Gaza recorded nearly 40,000 displacements to the south. Since mid-August, some 200,000 movements have been recorded, with many women, children and older people walking for hours.

"Issuing displacement orders does not absolve parties to a conflict from their responsibilities to protect civilians in the conduct of their hostilities," OCHA said.

On Tuesday, two humanitarian movements to collect food cargo from crossings into Gaza were either canceled or denied. Other missions were facilitated but faced impediments on the ground, it added.