United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed deep alarm at the worsening humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, where intensified Israeli military operations and new evacuation orders have left civilians with virtually nowhere safe to go.
According to a statement by UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, recent attacks have killed and injured scores of Palestinians, including at sites sheltering displaced families. On a single day this week, nearly 30,000 people were forced to flee under Israeli relocation orders, with inadequate access to shelter, food, medicine, or clean water.
The UN chief warned that Gaza’s critical infrastructure is collapsing: fuel supplies have been cut off for more than 17 weeks, threatening to shut down incubators, halt ambulance services, and stop water purification — effectively cutting the last lifelines for over two million civilians trapped in the enclave.
“The UN has a clear and proven plan, rooted in humanitarian principles, to get vital assistance to civilians – safely and at scale, wherever they are,” said Dujarric, stressing that aid delivery will grind to a halt without safe, sustained access.
Displacement orders continue to expand. A new Israeli evacuation order issued on Wednesday in Gaza City alone affected around 40,000 people, including a medical point and one of the last neighborhoods previously spared. Since the collapse of the March ceasefire, over 50 such orders have been issued, covering 78% of Gaza’s territory. Combined with militarized zones, that figure rises to 85%, leaving only 15% of Gaza as nominally habitable — areas described as overcrowded, fragmented, and lacking basic services.
“Imagine over two million people crammed into an area the size of Manhattan, but instead of skyscrapers, it’s reduced to rubble without infrastructure or support,” Dujarric said.
The Secretary-General reiterated his urgent call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, safe humanitarian corridors, and the unconditional release of all hostages. He also reminded all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law.
