UN Reports 180,000 Displaced in Gaza Amid Renewed Israeli Offensive

By Middle East Correspondent
Date: May 28, 2025
Location: Geneva/Gaza City

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has issued a stark warning that over 180,000 Palestinians have been forcibly displaced in the Gaza Strip in the past ten days, following a renewed Israeli military offensive in the region’s southern and central districts.

The latest escalation, described as one of the most intense since the beginning of the conflict, has overwhelmed shelters, strained humanitarian services, and intensified the humanitarian catastrophe in the already embattled enclave.

🚨 Surge in Displacement

UN officials report that relentless airstrikes and ground operations around Rafah, Khan Younis, and parts of central Gaza have triggered mass evacuations. Many families were forced to flee with minimal belongings, often on foot, in search of safety amid a near-total collapse of civil infrastructure.

“The numbers are staggering. We are seeing entire neighborhoods vanish under bombardment, and families are fleeing from one temporary shelter to another,” said Andrea De Domenico, the head of OCHA’s operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Satellite imagery released by international watchdogs shows widespread destruction in several refugee camps and residential districts, with makeshift tents now filling streets, schoolyards, and open spaces.

🏥 Humanitarian Response Near Collapse

The displacement crisis has severely strained the capabilities of humanitarian agencies. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) reported that over 200 of its schools and facilities are now being used as emergency shelters, far exceeding their intended capacity.

Clean water, food, and medical supplies are running critically low. Aid convoys have struggled to access affected areas due to active combat zones and blocked roads. Reports of cholera and respiratory infections are beginning to surface in overcrowded shelters.

“We are barely able to provide basic necessities. Every hour without a ceasefire adds to the suffering,” said Dr. Laila Shabaan, a field physician with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) operating in Deir al-Balah.

🔥 Context of the Offensive

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a renewed offensive earlier this month, targeting what it claimed were “terrorist infrastructure and Hamas leadership hideouts” in Rafah and surrounding areas. The operation came days after rocket attacks from Gaza struck southern Israel, prompting a military response.

“We are acting decisively to neutralize threats and restore security to Israeli citizens,” said IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Gavriel, while assuring that “measures are in place to avoid civilian casualties.”

However, human rights groups and the UN have raised serious concerns over disproportionate force and collective punishment, urging immediate restraint.

🕊 Diplomatic Efforts and Global Reaction

The renewed violence has drawn strong international condemnation. The European Union has called for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access. The Arab League held an emergency session in Cairo, demanding accountability for the growing civilian toll.

In New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the displacement figures as “an alarming reminder that the crisis in Gaza is spinning further out of control.”

“The mass suffering of civilians cannot be collateral to military objectives,” Guterres said in a special briefing. “All parties must recommit to a political resolution.”

🔮 Outlook and Warning

OCHA warns that the number of displaced could surpass 250,000 if hostilities continue unabated in the coming days. UN agencies are urgently appealing for $150 million in additional emergency funding to meet the immediate needs of the affected population.

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🛑 Humanitarian Appeal:
The UN is urging donor countries to expedite aid shipments and press for diplomatic solutions to halt the fighting. Civilians, especially women and children, are facing dire risks in what is rapidly becoming one of 2025’s worst humanitarian crises.