The Gaza Strip has spiralled into chaos, with widespread hunger, looting, and violence, including rising cases of rape in shelters, as public order collapses, according to the United Nations.
Palestinians are suffering on an unprecedented scale, with the situation in Gaza City being described as "horrendous" by Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights Office in the Palestinian territories.
Sunghay said the Palestinians are distressed "on a scale that has to be seen to be truly grasped".
The breakdown of public order and safety has exacerbated the situation, with rampant looting and fighting over scarce resources. The UN has warned about the impending anarchy in Gaza, which is now a harsh reality.
"The anarchy in Gaza we warned about months ago is here", Sunghay said. Young women, many of whom have been displaced multiple times, have highlighted the lack of safe spaces or privacy in their makeshift tents.
Cases of gender-based violence, rape, abuse of children, and other forms of violence within the community have increased in shelters, according to Sunghay. The situation is dire, with thousands of displaced people sheltering in inhumane conditions, facing severe food shortages and terrible sanitary conditions.
He said for the first time, he saw dozens of women and children now scavenging in giant landfills.
This is a Horrific Scene
— Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) October 13, 2024
Palestinians are collecting the remains of spoiled flour that was discarded in a makeshift landfill
They are gathering the flour to use it as animal feed and for kindling fires pic.twitter.com/uRjhvSSOdF
The UN is being blocked from delivering aid to the 70,000 people still living in northern Gaza, due to repeated impediments or rejections of humanitarian convoys by the Israeli authorities. The UN is calling for an immediate ceasefire and the release of hostages and those arbitrarily detained.
"And every effort must be made to urgently provide the full quantities of food, medicine and other vital assistance desperately needed in Gaza", UN Human Rights Office spokesman Jeremy Laurence said.
"The killing must end," he added.
The conflict has resulted in the deaths of 1,207 people in Israel, most of whom were civilians, and 44,363 people in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening by the day, with the UN urging for immediate action to address the crisis.
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