GAZA CITY: Palestinian authorities warned on Monday of a potential outbreak of epidemics and diseases among displaced civilians in Gaza City due to overcrowding in shelters, Anadolu Agency reported.
In a statement, the Gaza City Municipality noted that the mass exodus of civilians from northern Gaza to the city “has increased pressure on water, sanitation, and waste collection services.
“This has exacerbated the health and environmental crisis the city is currently facing,” it added.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been forced to flee their homes in northern Gaza to the city due to Israel’s ongoing ground offensive in the area.
“The forced displacement has caused unprecedented levels of waste accumulation and a significant increase in demand for water, making the situation extremely difficult,” the municipality said.
It appealed to the international community to urgently intervene and address the basic needs of displaced civilians in Gaza City “to prevent further deterioration in public health”.
Israel has launched a large-scale ground operation in northern Gaza. Palestinians, however, accuse Israel of attempting to occupy the area and forcibly displace its residents.
Since then, no humanitarian aid – including food, medicine, and fuel – has been allowed into the area, leaving most of the population, currently estimated at 80,000, on the brink of famine.
The onslaught was the latest episode in a brutal Israeli war on the Gaza Strip that has killed over 44,200 people, mostly women and children, since Oct 7, 2023.
On Thursday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its brutal war on Gaza. – BERNAMA-AA
