OCHA: More than 470,000 Palestinians have moved towards the northern Gaza Strip

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that more than 470,000 Palestinians have moved toward the northern Gaza Strip since the ceasefire agreement came into effect on October 10, as families continue to return to their destroyed homes despite the dire humanitarian conditions.

The office explained in a statement on Monday evening that thousands of Palestinian families continue to return to their war-damaged areas, despite the dangers surrounding unsafe buildings, the spread of unexploded ordnance, and the severe shortage of water, food, and basic services.

It noted that movement has witnessed a significant increase over the past two days, with more than 470,000 movements northward across the Gaza Strip since the truce was announced.

In the same context, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric warned of the danger of unexploded ordnance in areas of return, noting that UN teams and their partners continue to locate and remove them, especially with the increasing movement of people north.

Dujarric explained that since October 7, 2023, humanitarian workers have recorded 150 incidents of explosive ordnance resulting in injuries, including children.

According to estimates by the Government Media Office in Gaza, approximately 20,000 unexploded shells and rockets remain scattered throughout the Strip, posing a direct threat to the lives of 2.4 million Palestinians.