17 UNRWA workers killed, 15 injured in Gaza shelling since October 7

CAIRO – 22 October 2023: The UNRWA indicated in its Saturday situation report that 17 of its workers had been killed since October 7, and that 15 others had been injured.

With regard to UNRWA facilities affected by Israeli strikes, an UNRWA school in Khan Younis was hit, which incurred the killing of three internally-displaced people (IDPs), the injury of 55, and a minor damage in the building.

Another located in Nuseirat Camp in the Middle Area sustained a collateral damage because of a nearby strike. As a consequence, one person got killed, while eight IDPs and two UNRWA workers were injured.

In total, at least 36 UNRWA installations in Gaza have been impacted since the war began. The report pointed out that there were nearly 384,200 IDPs sheltering in 90 UNRWA shelters in the Middle Area, Khan Younis, and Palestinian Rafah. Further, due to continued bombardments in the southwest of Gaza area on Friday, the figure rose by 16,000; half of which is in Rafah.

The organization lost contact with 160,000 IDPs, who were sheltering in 57 UNRWA schools in the northern area of Gaza, on October 12 when the Israeli authorities issued an evacuation order.  

The UNRWA has not established any new camps in Gaza Strip during the crisis so as it still has just eight. Yet, it distributed 80 tents at Khan Younis Training Center, where 17,000 IPD are sheltering, to reduce crowdedness.

As for the West Bank, an Israeli storming into Nour Al Shams Refugee Camp caused the killing of 13 Palestinians, and the damage of roads, electricity and water networks.   

With regard to healthcare, 77 mobile medical teams and 80 mobile medical points provide services at the 90 shelters in Gaza. The initial assessments showed non-communicable diseases among 13,400 individuals, over 200 post-natal cases requiring medical attention, and over 3,200 pregnant women.

The UNRWA's stocks of medicines will last for just 15 days, except for those of insulin, they will finish in just one week. Similarly, fuel stocks in the functional health centers are also depleting.

The number of deaths and injuries in Gaza have amounted to 4,137 and 13,162, respectively, since October 7. The figures include 1,661 and 4,232 children, respectively. In addition, there are 1,400 individuals missing under the rubbles, including 720 children. As for the figures in Israel, there are 1,400 deaths and 4,629 injuries.