Gaza war: IDF end operation in Shejaiya, order evacuation of Gaza city

Gaza

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have announced the end of an operation in Shejaiya, eastern Gaza.

The IDF claim its troops notably “eliminated” dozens of militants and destroyed combat compounds.

During the nearly v-week long operation about 60,000 Palestinians were displaced, humanitarian partners estimate.

The IDF encouraged all residents to leave Gaza City and head south Wednesday (Jul. 10).

The UN Spokesperson urged the troops to respect international humanitarian law.

"The office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that Israel's instruction for people to leave Gaza City as a result of today's directives will only fuel mass suffering for Palestinian families, many of whom have been displaced many times. The civilians must be protected and their essential needs must be met, whether they flee or whether they stay. This is what we mean when we say that all parties involved in this conflict must respect international humanitarian law at all times, and the level of fighting and destruction that we are seeing in the recent days."

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric also responded to the head of the Israeli military body in charge of Palestinian civilian affairs who told reporters at Kerem Shalom earlier that the United Nations needs to step up its ability to receive and distribute aid in Gaza.

Col. Elad Goren, head of the body known as COGAT, said it has facilitated the entry of more than 40,000 trucks to Gaza but the U.N. has only received and distributed aid from 26,000. He called for the U.N. to increase trucks, manpower and warehouses.

Dujarric detailed how the U.N. is trying its best to get to people in need, especially in central and southern Gaza, but “you have utter lawlessness, plus you have continuing conflict.”

Some U.N. and private sector trucks are trying to pick up aid from Kerem Shalom, “often at great cost, because they are being either looted or attacked by criminal elements,” he said, adding that “we’ve had convoys also being fired on by Israeli forces.”

As a result, very little is getting through, Dujarric said.

“We’re discussing with various parties, but the facts on the ground remain the facts on the ground, unfortunately,” the U.N. spokesman said.

“Unless there is a cease-fire which allows for full and unfettered humanitarian access, which will see the release of the hostages, will see an end to the fighting, every day is a challenge to get aid and to deliver it,” Dujarric concluded.

Israel's 9-months old offensive in Gaza has killed over 38,000 Palestinians.

Deadly strikes in recent days come as cease-fire talks are underway in Qatar.