Shafaq News/ The Gaza Strip faces an escalating humanitarian crisis as violence between Palestinian factions and Israeli forces intensifies.

On Wednesday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health grimly announced 950 casualties and 5,000 injuries since the start of Israeli bombings, with more than 260 children among the victims. In the West Bank, 23 individuals were killed, and around 130 were wounded.

The United Nations, confirming the dire situation, reported that over a quarter-million people have been displaced within Gaza due to the conflict.

Operation "Al-Aqsa Flood" entered its fifth day, marked by relentless rocket fire from Palestinian factions and escalating Israeli mobilization around Gaza. Simultaneously, tensions rise in the north, heightening political unrest.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that a staggering 263,934 people in Gaza have fled their homes, a number expected to rise.

Over 1,000 housing units have been destroyed, and 560 severely damaged, leaving them uninhabitable. Desperate families seek refuge in 88 schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Additionally, 12 government schools host more than 14,500 displaced individuals. Approximately 74,000 people have sought shelter with relatives, neighbors, churches, and other facilities, representing the most significant internal displacement since the 2014 escalation that endured for 50 days.

The UN office issued a stark warning, highlighting the escalating difficulty in meeting the basic needs of displaced people and underscoring the urgent need for international assistance amidst this crisis.