The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have issued an urgent appeal for a ceasefire in Gaza, warning that nearly one million civilians in Gaza City ordered to evacuate by the Israeli military have no safe place to go.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the mass displacement has pushed families into already overcrowded areas where food, water, shelter, and sanitation are critically lacking. Even designated “humanitarian zones,” such as al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, have come under attack, leaving civilians exposed despite promises of safety.
“Civilians cannot be expected to move into areas that are not safe,” UN officials said, stressing that international humanitarian law requires all parties to protect non-combatants and ensure genuine safe zones.
The evacuation orders, issued earlier this week, have left many residents with impossible choices. Some families remain in Gaza City, unwilling to risk dangerous evacuation routes, while others who have fled report finding no shelter or protection in the south. Many have already been displaced multiple times since the escalation of hostilities.
Hospitals, schools, and shelters are collapsing under the strain, with medical supplies, clean water, and electricity running out. Humanitarian agencies warn that the situation is pushing Gaza closer to famine as supply routes remain blocked.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres and humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths have reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access. They stressed that without urgent action, Gaza faces “a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe.”
