UN distributes over 30,000 identity bracelets to children in Gaza 'to help prevent family separation'

05:144/02/2025, Tuesday
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File photo

UN and humanitarian partners estimate that more than 545,000 people have crossed from south to north of Gaza over past week, says spokesman

The UN on Monday reported that more than 30,000 children identity bracelets were handed out to children Gaza as families continue to move across the Gaza Strip.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), spokesman Stephane Dujarric in a news conference said that "we, along with our humanitarian partners, are expanding life-saving aid operations as more humanitarian supplies enter Gaza."

Noting that "displaced people continue to move between southern and northern Gaza as they reunite with family and start rebuilding their lives," Dujarric reported that "as of today, we and humanitarian partners estimate that more than 545,000 people have crossed from the south to the north of Gaza over the past week."

"More than 36,000 people have been observed moving from the north to the south," he said.

Dujarric also stated that UN's "protection partners have distributed more than 30,000 child identity bracelets to children under the age of four to help prevent family separation."

Saying the children identity bracelets are "critical" as he stated reports of "more than 250 young children, who had been separated from their caregivers while crossing to the north."

He also said that there are three temporary sites that can hold at least 5,000 people were established in North Gaza's Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and Jabalya.

"Meanwhile, partners working on education report that some 280,000 school-aged children in Gaza have registered in the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East e-learning program," Dujarric said.

Dujarric further raised concerns over Israeli army's ongoing operations on Jenin and Tulkarm located in the occupied West Bank.

"OCHA warns once again that lethal, war-like tactics are being applied, raising concerns over the use of force that exceeds law enforcement standards," he said, adding that Israeli army destroyed "20 residential structures where more than 50 families were living" yesterday in Jenin refugee camp.

As a result of the Israeli army's raids to Palestinian homes, Dujarric said at least 15 families were displaced.

"Today, Israeli forces raided El Far'a Refugee Camp and blocked the entrances. As a result, dozens of families have reportedly fled the camp, fearing a larger Israeli operation," he said.

Dujarric also reported that as of today "the Palestinian death toll in recent Israeli operations in the West Bank stands at 39 since 21 January, when the operation in Jenin began."

The Israeli escalation in the West Bank came after a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal took hold in Gaza on Jan. 19, following 15 months of Israel's genocidal war that killed over 47,500 Palestinians and reduced the enclave to rubble.

Since the beginning of Israel's genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, more than 900 Palestinians have been killed across the West Bank in attacks by Israeli forces and settlers.

#Gaza Strip
#Israeli army
#News conference
#OCHA
#Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
#Palestine
#Spokesman Stephane Dujarric
#UN