The United Nations said on Monday that more than 300,000 people have been seen moving from the southern to the northern Gaza Strip in recent days, as the ceasefire continues to ease access and movement across the besieged Palestinian enclave.
“From Friday until yesterday, our colleagues monitoring the movement of displaced people recorded almost 310,000 people crossing from the south to the north of Gaza, and about 23,000 movements in other directions,” UN spokesman Farhan Haq told a news conference.
“Humanitarian workers can now move more easily in many areas, allowing our teams to reach people who had been cut off from aid for months,” Haq said, adding that with the easing of restrictions on movement, they were able to “pre-deploy medical and emergency supplies to where they are most needed” and assess key routes for possible explosive remnants of war.
Haq also announced that the UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has allocated an additional $11 million (€9.5 million) from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support humanitarian operations in Gaza ahead of winter.
“This follows last week’s allocation of $9 million to ensure sufficient fuel supplies to ensure that essential services can continue to operate across Gaza. This brings the total recent CERF allocation to Gaza to $20 million,” Haq said.
Fletcher warned that “without further CERF payments, critical assistance will not be able to continue to reach those who depend on it.”
Under the initial 60-day humanitarian plan, the UN and partner organizations will “deliver life-saving assistance and services to people across Gaza, wherever they are needed” – including food, water, healthcare, shelter, hygiene supplies and protection programmes.
Last week, US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had reached an agreement on the first phase of his plan, presented on September 29, which envisages a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all Israeli prisoners in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire Gaza Strip.
The first phase of the deal went into effect on Friday.
The second phase of the plan envisages the establishment of a new governance mechanism in Gaza without Hamas participation, the formation of a multinational force, and the disarmament of Hamas.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed more than 67,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, leaving Gaza almost uninhabitable.
