Displacement (Gaza Strip)
On 15 November, the Israeli military – which has called on residents in the north to evacuate to the south – continued opening a “corridor” along the main traffic artery, Salah Ad Deen Road, between 9:00 and 16:00. The Israeli military also announced a “tactical halt in military activities,” in As Salam and An Nour neighbourhoods of Jabaliya between 10:00 and 14:00, to enable the departure of people southward. OCHA’s monitoring team estimates that about 8,000 people moved during the day.
Israeli forces have reportedly been arresting some IDPs fleeing through the “corridor.” There are anecdotal and eyewitness reports of some IDPs being beaten and stripped of their clothing. On 14 November, internally displaced persons (IDPs) reported that the Israeli army had established an unstaffed checkpoint where people are directed from a distance to pass through go through two checkpoints, where a surveillance system is thought to be installed. IDPs are reportedly ordered to show their IDs and undergo what appears to be a facial recognition scan.
Over the past 48 hours, IDPs staying outside the overcrowded shelters in the south have been affected by intermittent rainfall and flooding, which have damaged or destroyed tents and makeshift areas where they are seeking shelter. These conditions are subjecting these IDPs to an increasing risk of illness and waterborne disease
Read the Report: Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel | Flash Update #40
A tent camp where displaced Palestinian families take refuge in southern Gaza. On 15 November, the Israeli authorities extended their evacuation calls, thus far limited to the northern Gaza Strip, to parts of the south. Photo by WHO, 15 November 2023
