New York: The United Nations has expressed serious concern over the devastating effects of Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, highlighting the significant civilian casualties, particularly among women and children.
According to the UN Human Rights Office, between March 18 and April 9, 2025, there were at least 224 reported Israeli attacks on residential areas and encampments for displaced persons. In 36 of these cases, the UN confirmed that the only victims were women and children.
Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani noted that Gaza is increasingly becoming unsafe for civilians, with Israeli evacuation orders pushing people into smaller and more overcrowded areas — which are themselves being targeted. One example cited was the April 6 strike in Deir al-Balah that killed several members of the Abu Issa family, including a young girl, four women, and a four-year-old boy.
Despite instructions for Palestinians to move to supposedly safer areas such as Al Mawasi in Khan Younis, those locations have also come under attack. The UN reported at least 23 such incidents since mid-March.
The situation has been further complicated by a March 31 Israeli military order affecting all of Rafah, followed by a major ground incursion. Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, confirmed the seizure of large sections of Gaza to create expanded buffer zones, effectively shrinking the territory.
The UN warns that these evacuation directives are tantamount to forced displacement, a violation of international law. Shamdasani emphasized that the forced relocation of civilians in occupied territories constitutes a "grave breach" of the Fourth Geneva Convention and may qualify as a crime against humanity.
Israel resumed its military campaign against Gaza on March 18, ending a two-month truce with Hamas.
