UNHCR: 1.7 Million Palestinians Forcibly Displaced in Gaza

By Staff, Agencies

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [UNHCR] spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani announced about 1.7 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced inside Gaza due to “Israel’s” genocidal war against the people of Palestine.

During a press conference at the United Nations office in Geneva on Tuesday, Shamdasani stated that “resolving the catastrophic situation experienced by civilians in Gaza must remain a priority.”

“UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urges all states with influence to do everything in their power to halt the increasingly horrific human rights and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, rising violence and targeted attacks in the West Bank, and the heightened risk of a wider escalation of conflict in the Middle East,” Shamdasani said.

She said that “‘Israel’ continues to impose unlawful restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian assistance, and to carry out widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure.”

Shamdasani added, “There are about 1.7 million forcibly displaced people in Gaza. These people live in terrifying conditions and under constant threat.”

“In the past week alone, fighting has intensified in Middle Gaza leading to the displacement of some 10,000 people from in and around a Nuseirat camp and near Wadi Gaza,” she said. 

“Those delivering or trying to access humanitarian assistance must never be attacked,” added Shamdasani.

Shamdasani said that UNHCR also received reports that during Eid al-Fitr last week, the “Israeli” forces attacked at least eight mosques in a Nuseirat and Gaza City, and struck a further three on 14 April.

Shamdasani pointed out that the increasing violence against Palestinian and their proprieties in the occupied West Bank the past days.

She stated that Palestinians are subjected to attacks by hundreds of “Israeli” colonists, who are often accompanied or supported by “Israeli” soldiers.

She stressed that the "occupying power" must take all measures within its authority to restore order and public security in the West Bank.

“The ‘Israeli’ security forces must immediately put an end to their active participation and support for colonists’ attacks against Palestinians," Shamdasani added.