‘Cataclysmic’ state of affairs in Gaza Metropolis, UN official says, as Israeli tanks advance

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The state of affairs in Gaza Metropolis is "nothing wanting cataclysmic", a UN official has informed the BBC, as Israeli tanks and troops proceed to advance on the third day of a floor offensive.

Olga Cherevko, a spokeswoman for the UN's humanitarian workplace, mentioned she had seen a continuing stream of Palestinians heading south throughout a latest go to to town, however that lots of of hundreds remained.

The World Well being Group (WHO) warned that overwhelmed hospitals had been on the point of collapse as a result of it was being prevented from delivering lifesaving provides.

The Israeli navy mentioned its forces had been "dismantling terror infrastructure and eliminating terrorists" in Gaza Metropolis.

It has mentioned its targets are to free the hostages nonetheless held by Hamas and defeat as much as 3,000 fighters in what it has described because the group's "most important stronghold".

Nonetheless, the offensive on Gaza's largest city space, the place a million folks had been residing and a famine was confirmed final month, has drawn widespread worldwide condemnation.

The UN and its humanitarian companions have recorded a minimum of 200,000 folks crossing from northern to southern Gaza since mid-August, when Israel introduced its intention to beat Gaza Metropolis. Round 55,000 have made the journey since Sunday.

Cherevko, who works for the UN humanitarian workplace within the central metropolis of Deir al-Balah, informed the BBC she travelled to Gaza Metropolis two days in the past - a 29km (18 mile) round-trip that took 14 hours.

"The issues there, and the scenes on the best way to Gaza Metropolis, are nothing wanting cataclysmic," she recalled.

"A relentless stream of individuals [are] crossing from the north to the south, many on foot. Inside Gaza Metropolis, it's totally crowded nonetheless as a result of there are lots of of hundreds of civilians nonetheless remaining there."

She mentioned she additionally witnessed a number of Israeli strikes "very shut" to the UN convoy whereas in Gaza Metropolis, including: "It was actually only a fixed hit after hit whereas we had been there."

On Thursday morning, witnesses informed Reuters information company they'd seen Israeli tanks within the northern Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood and the southern neighbourhood of Tal al-Hawa, which have come underneath heavy bombardment in latest days.

Additionally they reported that Israeli forces had blown up remotely pushed autos laden with explosives in each areas, destroying many homes.

Native hospitals mentioned a minimum of 14 folks had been killed by Israeli fireplace throughout the Gaza Strip on Thursday, together with 9 in Gaza Metropolis.

The Israeli navy mentioned in an announcement that its troops had been "increasing" their operations within the metropolis, with out giving any particulars about their actions.

At first of the bottom assault on Tuesday, the navy's chief of workers, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, informed troops to "intensify the blows in opposition to Hamas and to decisively defeat the Gaza Metropolis brigade, in an effort to perform probably the most ethical and vital responsibility - the return of all of the hostages dwelling and the dismantling of Hamas's navy and governing capabilities".

Cherevko warned that many individuals had been unable to adjust to the Israeli navy's order to evacuate to its designated "humanitarian space" within the south.

"The expense of shifting your belongings, if you're fortunate sufficient to discover a car that can transfer them, is exorbitant. It isn't inexpensive for many individuals. And that is why many are doing this on foot, with barely a mattress of their fingers and possibly a plastic bag."

And as soon as they arrived there have been no ensures of shelter or security, she added.

"I spoke to lots of people who've just lately arrived in Deir al-Balah and [the southern city of] Khan Younis. A lot of them are sitting on the facet of the road, with nothing. They have no shelter. They do not know the place to go.

"Yesterday, I met a household who had been strolling round for 4 days, looking for house to sleep they usually did not handle," she mentioned.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/5a07/live/763997a0-9491-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/5a07/live/763997a0-9491-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5a07/live/763997a0-9491-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/5a07/live/763997a0-9491-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/5a07/live/763997a0-9491-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/5a07/live/763997a0-9491-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/5a07/live/763997a0-9491-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5a07/live/763997a0-9491-11f0-84c8-99de564f0440.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters Displaced Palestinians from northern Gaza sit beneath a makeshift shelter on a roadside in central Gaza (18 September 2025)" class="sc-86c96223-0 fHZDyi"/> Reuters Many displaced households who've fled southwards are having to sleep on roadsides

The WHO's chief, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, mentioned the Israeli offensive was "forcing traumatised households into an ever-shrinking space unfit for human dignity".

"The injured and other people with disabilities can't transfer to security, which places their lives in grave hazard," he wrote on X.

"Hospitals, already overwhelmed, are on the point of collapse as escalating violence blocks entry and prevents [the] WHO from delivering lifesaving provides."

The UN says there are at the moment about 1,790 in-patient hospital beds for the two.1 million inhabitants of Gaza, leading to occupancy charges of 180 to 300% throughout the 17 hospitals that stay partially practical throughout the territory.

Ten of these hospitals are in Gaza Metropolis and one is elsewhere in northern Gaza.

On Tuesday, al-Rantisi youngsters's hospital in Gaza Metropolis - the one specialised paediatric hospital left within the territory - was hit by three Israeli strikes, inflicting harm to rooftop water tanks, electrical and communication programs and a few medical gear, in response to Gaza's Hamas-run well being ministry.

Forty sufferers fled for security following the assault, whereas 40 others, together with 4 youngsters within the intensive care and eight new child infants, stay inside.

The Israeli navy has not but commented.

The UN Inhabitants Fund in the meantime warned that ladies had been being compelled to offer delivery within the streets, with out hospitals, docs or clear water.

The Israeli navy launched a marketing campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which about 1,200 folks had been killed and 251 others had been taken hostage.

Not less than 65,141 folks have been killed in Israeli assaults in Gaza since then, in response to the territory's well being ministry.

The ministry says one other 435 folks have to this point died throughout the conflict on account of malnutrition and hunger, together with 4 over the previous 24 hours.