HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Tuesday condemned the "unacceptable pattern" of attacks on aid seekers in the Gaza Strip, despite repeated assurances from Israel that civilians would not be targeted.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference that "intense hostilities continue with no let-up, as does the rapid collapse of the last lifelines keeping people alive."

Dujarric reported that "more than a dozen children and adults had died from hunger" in the past 24 hours, according to authorities.

"This is on top of continued reports of people being shot, killed or injured while simply trying to find food, which is only being allowed into Gaza in far too small quantities," he said.

He conveyed OCHA's warning that "in many cases where UN teams are permitted by Israel to collect supplies from closed compounds near Gaza's crossings, civilians approaching the trucks come under fire despite repeated assurances that troops would not be present or engage."

"We can’t stress this enough: This unacceptable pattern is the opposite of what facilitating humanitarian operations should look like," he said. "No one should have to risk their lives to get food."

Dujarric noted that "colleagues on the ground tell us that, like everyone else in Gaza, they are hungry and exhausted. They can only confirm that many people have fled under fire, and many others stayed, despite the massive risks, because there’s simply nowhere safe to go."

He said about 88% of Gaza is under displacement orders or within Israeli militarized zones, forcing people to either flee under fire or remain in overcrowded, underserved areas.

"The 12% that remains is already overcrowded and underserved," he added.

Dujarric added that UN humanitarian teams remain operational in Deir al Balah, with their locations shared with all parties.

Israel has killed more than 59,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, collapsed the health system, and led to severe food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.