HAMILTON, Canada

The UN on Tuesday said humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip continue despite daily impediments, as recent storms damaged thousands of shelters and new evacuation orders were issued by Israel in parts of Khan Younis.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Farhan Haq at a news conference reported that the UN and its partners "continue to help people in need despite daily impediments that continue to affect the speed and scale of humanitarian operations."

"Our partners estimate that last week's storms also impacted 80 displacement sites across the Strip, with at least 4,000 family shelters damaged or destroyed," he said, adding that more than 660 families received emergency food supplies, tents and tarpaulins.

Haq stressed "the urgent need for sustainable shelter solutions, including repairing damaged homes, clearing rubble to make more land available, and restoring water and sanitation systems."

He also said the Israeli military "dropped leaflets in Bani Suheila and Eastern Khan Younis, which is located east of the so-called yellow line, ordering people to evacuate immediately," noting that OCHA estimates "that more than 400 families remain in the area."

"OCHA reiterates that civilians must always be protected and allowed to flee safely. They must also be allowed to return when conditions permit, if they wish to do so," he said.