The United Nations has sounded the alarm over the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip, revealing that more than 737,000 people—approximately 35% of the population—have been displaced since Israel escalated its military campaign in March.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, UN spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay cited data from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), noting that over 11,500 Palestinians were newly displaced between July 8 and 15 alone.

“This brings the total number of displaced since March 18 to over 737,000,” Tremblay said. “Over the past 21 months, nearly the entire population of Gaza has been displaced—most of them multiple times.”

Tremblay reported that in the past 24 hours, Israeli strikes have continued to hit civilian infrastructure, including sites sheltering displaced families, with confirmed casualties and injuries.

Despite growing needs, humanitarian aid entering Gaza remains severely limited. Tremblay described the recent delivery of benzene—essential for powering ambulances and medical facilities—as a "small but important step forward," marking the first such delivery in over 135 days. However, she warned that this alone is not sufficient to meet critical needs.

UN Condemns Strike on Gaza Church

The UN also expressed grave concern over an Israeli airstrike targeting the Holy Family Church in Gaza. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “strongly condemns” the attack, Tremblay said, calling the strike on a place of worship and civilian sanctuary “unacceptable.”

“People seeking shelter must be respected and protected, not hit by strikes,” she added, reiterating the Secretary-General’s urgent call for an immediate ceasefire and full respect for international humanitarian law.

Guterres continues to urge all parties to ensure the protection of civilians and to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza at scale and without obstruction.

Concerns Over Ibrahimi Mosque Control Shift

Responding to a question from Anadolu Agency regarding Israeli plans to transfer administrative control of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron to a settler council, Tremblay stated that the UN had not yet reviewed the report but reaffirmed the organization’s consistent stance: “We always call for the protection of all religious sites.”

Israeli media reported earlier this week that Tel Aviv removed Hebron’s municipal authority over the Ibrahimi Mosque and reassigned it to a settler council, sparking outrage from Palestinians and raising fears of further tension.

The Ibrahimi Mosque—also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs—is sacred to both Muslims and Jews and has long been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The latest move is seen as the most significant change to the mosque's status since the 1994 Shamgar Commission decision, which divided control of the site following the massacre of 29 Palestinian worshippers by extremist settler Baruch Goldstein.

Located in the Israeli-controlled Old City of Hebron, the mosque sits in an area heavily militarized, with around 400 illegal Israeli settlers guarded by some 1,500 Israeli soldiers.

The UN's latest warnings come amid growing international calls for accountability, de-escalation, and unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, where about two years of near-continuous conflict has left infrastructure shattered and the civilian population in dire need. (ILKHA)