In Geneva, UN humanitarian office spokesperson Jens Laerke said “panic and despair” gripped the people in Rafah.
He said that under international law people must have adequate time to prepare for an evacuation, and have a safe route to a safe area with access to aid. This was not the case in the Rafah evacuation, he said.
“It’s littered with unexploded ordnance, massive bombs lying in the street. It’s not safe,” he said.
A total of 34,789 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been now killed in the conflict, the Gaza Health Ministry said.
The war began when Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct 7, killing about 1,200 people and abducting about 250 others, of whom 133 are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
