UNRWA: Nine in every ten people have been forcibly displaced in Gaza

RAMALLAH, Friday, July 26, 2024 (WAFA) – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said that Nine in every ten people have been forcibly displaced in the war-torn Gaza Strip.

UNRWA said that families in Gaza seek shelter where they can; wither in overcrowded schools, destroyed buildings, or makeshift tents on the sand or amid piles of trash.

“None of these places are safe. People have nowhere left to go,” said UNRWA in an X post, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Meanwhile, UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, said that six samples of type 2 polio have been detected in parts of Gaza. “Thankfully, no paralytic cases have been detected yet.”

“This is another serious development in the never-ending journey of misery,” he said on X.

“Polio emerges due to a crumbling health system, lack of clean water and hygiene material, overcrowded shelters and very poor sanitation.“

 With the war, vaccination among children dropped from semi-universal levels to just over 85% because people have been constantly moving, fleeing combat zones, and searching for safety, he added.

“Diseases don’t differentiate between people. They don’t know borders nor do they need a visa or permit to travel,” He said, stressing that the spread of polio in Gaza and beyond can be controlled through vaccination campaigns to reach every child wherever they are.

“A ceasefire and an increase in the flow of vaccines will allow it.”

He concluded by calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.