GAZA CITY – Almost 1,037,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are now sheltering in 156 UNRWA installations across all five governorates of the Gaza Strip, including in the north, according to the UNRWA.
Some 108 UNRWA colleagues have been killed since the beginning of hostilities. This is the highest number of United Nations aid workers killed in a conflict in the history of the United Nations. At least the 40 per cent have been killed south of Wadi Gaza, according to the website of the UN aid agency.
Almost 1.7 million people (or nearly 80 per cent of the population) have been displaced across the Gaza Strip since 7 October.
Nearly 877,000 IDPs are sheltering in 99 facilities in the Middle, Khan Younis and Rafah areas. Nearly 160,000 IDPs were sheltering in 57 UNRWA schools in the north and Gaza areas as of 12 October 2023, before evacuation orders were issued by the Israeli Authorities.
On average, around 220 people sheltering in UNRWA schools share a single toilet.
On average, there is one shower unit for every 4,500 people in UNRWA shelters. The increase in the number of IDPs per shower compared to previous reports is in line with the increase of IDPs in UNRWA shelters and is due to the lack of shower units in UNRWA installations not designated as shelters but currently hosting IDPs.
UNRWA was not able to bring any additional mobile shower units to its shelters due to a lack of space and/or the lack of fuel for transportation.
