“More than 1 million people — most displaced several times — forced to flee once again, in search of safety that they never find. All of our 36 UNRWA shelters in Rafah are empty now. This is where people seek shelter and should be protected at all times under the UN flag,” Lazzarini said in a statement on Saturday.

Due to the escalating conflict and resulting displacement, UNRWA has had to halt health and other critical services in Rafah. Lazzarini confirmed that the agency is currently operating from Khan Younis and the middle areas, where approximately 1.7 million people reside.

“In Khan Younis, we restarted operations despite damage to all our facilities,” he added.

The announcement follows UNRWA's recent report that about one million people have fled Rafah in southern Gaza over the past three weeks. The Israeli occupation army continues to close the Rafah border crossing, exacerbating the dire humanitarian situation in the region.

The closure has led to severe shortages of life-saving supplies, particularly affecting northern Gaza, where residents are facing famine conditions. UN and international organizations have issued numerous warnings about the escalating humanitarian crisis. (ILKHA)