UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians on Monday voiced concern about continued Israeli attacks in Gaza and settler violence in the West Bank.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it is concerned about the impact on civilians of continued Israeli airstrikes and other military attacks over the weekend.
"Of particular concern are reports that a little boy was among the fatalities and that one of the strikes damaged items at the Al Aqsa Hospital compound in Deir Al-Balah," the office said. "Civilians and civilian facilities, including hospitals, must always be protected. They should not be attacked or used for military purposes."
OCHA said it is working with humanitarian partners to prepare for the rainy season. Over the weekend, municipalities in Gaza informed humanitarian partners that they had mapped the needs related to flood risks across hundreds of locations in the Gaza Strip. The requirements involve clearing drainage, removing debris and solid waste, leveling sites, ensuring pumps are ready and prepositioning equipment.
"However, humanitarian partners warn that efforts to support people ahead of the winter are constrained by insufficient funding, limits on the approval and volume of items entering Gaza, and shortages of engine oil, spare parts and heavy machinery," the office said. "Efforts are also constrained because most of Gaza's land remains inaccessible, including areas that are less vulnerable to flooding and could be used to set up tents."
Most of the narrow strip has been ruled out-of-bounds by the Israeli military.
Settler-related violence continued over the weekend, with incidents involving theft, arson, vandalism, attacks and confrontations in multiple areas, resulting in injuries and property damage, OCHA quoted humanitarian partners as reporting.
In the Al Mughayyir area of Ramallah, humanitarian partners reported three consecutive days of attacks by settlers escorted by Israeli forces. The attacks injured nearly a dozen Palestinians and sometimes prevented the movement of people and vehicles, including ambulances, it said. ■
