Intense Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea continues to be reported across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in further civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction of civilian infrastructure. Ground operations and heavy fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups also continue to be reported, particularly in Khan Younis and Rafah.
Airstrikes on Rafah have heightened concerns of an escalation in the most southerly area of Gaza, which is already hosting over half of Gaza's population. On 12 February, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned that a "potential full-fledged military incursion into Rafah -- where some 1.5 million Palestinians are packed against the Egyptian border with nowhere further to flee -- is terrifying, given the prospect that an extremely high number of civilians, again mostly children and women, will likely be killed and injured. There must be an immediate ceasefire. All remaining hostages must be released. And there must be renewed collective resolve to reach a political solution."
Between the morning of 12 February and 10:30 on 13 February, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Gaza, 133 Palestinians were killed, and 162 Palestinians were injured, mostly in Rafah and Khan Younis. Between 7 October 2023 and 10:30 on 13 February 2024, at least 28,473 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 68,146 Palestinians were injured, according to MoH in Gaza.
Between the afternoons of 12 and 13 February, three Israeli soldiers were reported killed in Gaza. As of 13 February, 230 soldiers have been killed and 1,346 soldiers injured in Gaza since the beginning of the ground operation, according to the Israeli military. In addition, over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, including 36 children, according to the Israeli authorities, the vast majority on 7 October and in the immediate aftermath. As of 13 February 2024, the Israeli authorities estimate that about 134 Israelis and foreign nationals remain captive in Gaza, these reportedly include fatalities whose bodies are being withheld.
On 10 February, the Education Cluster published a Satellite-derived Damage Assessment of schools across the Gaza Strip to verify the extent of damage since 7 October 2023 and as of the end of January 2024. The assessment found that 162 school buildings have been directly hit, representing nearly 30 per cent of the total of 563 school buildings in Gaza. At least 26 of these buildings have been destroyed. Given that some 63 per cent of schools in Gaza operate a double shift system, with different sets of pupils attending in morning and afternoon sessions, these 162 physical school buildings accommodate a total of 235 distinct schools which, prior to 7 October, served some 1750,00 pupils and were staffed by more than 6,500 teachers. Another 151 schools have been confirmed as damaged, and 95 are likely damaged, and 41 possibly damaged. Some 25 per cent of the schools that were directly hit or damaged are operated by UNRWA, and 45 per cent of the schools in these categories have also served as shelters for IDPs. At least 55 per cent of schools in Gaza will either need full reconstruction or major rehabilitation. The satellite-derived images also provide evidence for the military use of schools.
According to the Ministry of Education, as of 6 February, more than 4,850 students and 239 educational staff have been killed and more than 8,227 students and 836 teachers have been injured in the Gaza Strip since 7 October. On 11 February, two Palestinian boys, including a 12-year-old, were reportedly killed when the Al Amal Boys School in western Khan Younis, which was being used as a shelter for IDPs, was reportedly fired upon.
On 12 February, Médecins du Monde (MdM) condemned the destruction of its offices in Gaza city a few days previously, which they describe as deliberate. No staff was inside when the building was demolished. MdM did not receive any warning about the attack, even though its offices were clearly identified as those of a humanitarian agency, and the address of the building had been shared with the Israeli authorities, their statement says. "We are once again outraged by what appears to be a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. The destruction of our offices is further proof that absolutely no place is safe in Gaza. NGO buildings are being demolished, while humanitarian aid is being demolished."
Intense fighting in Khan Younis, particularly near Nasser and Al Amal hospitals, continues to jeopardize the safety of medical staff, the wounded and the sick as well as internally displaced persons (IDPs). On 12 February, MoH in Gaza reported that seven Palestinians have been killed and 14 injured by sniper fire in the courtyard of Nasser hospital. The hospital's suspended ceilings also sustained damage due to nearby explosions; sewage has leaked into the emergency department, according to MoH in Gaza. Al Amal Hospital continues to contend with acute shortages of fuel and medical supplies and currently has only one functional operating room.
IDPs across Gaza continue to face deteriorating humanitarian conditions amid acute shortages of safe areas, shelters, clean water, food and medicine. As of 5 February, UNRWA estimates that some 75 per cent of Gaza's population (1.7 million out of 2.3 million people) are displaced, the majority situated in Rafah governorate. On 10 February, the Israeli military reportedly fired on a school sheltering IDPs in Khan Younis, killing one Palestinian, according to UNRWA. The Agency estimates that at least 396 IDPs sheltering in its shelters have been killed and at least a further 1,379 injured since 7 October. On 12 February, the Al Huda Mosque in Rafah, which was sheltering IDPs, was reportedly destroyed by the Israeli Air Force, reportedly killing five Palestinians and injuring several others.
Between 1 January and 12 February, humanitarian partners planned 77 missions to deliver aid and undertake assessments to areas to the north of Wadi Gaza. Of these, 12 were facilitated by the Israeli authorities, three were partially facilitated, 14 were impeded, 39 were denied access, and nine were postponed by the requesting agencies. Facilitated missions primarily involved food distribution, while the access of missions to support critical hospitals and facilities providing water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH) services remained among those overwhelmingly denied. During the same period, there were 189 planned missions to areas assessed as necessitating coordination to the south of Wadi Gaza. Of these, 107 were facilitated, two were partially facilitated, 19 were initially facilitated but then impeded, 48 were denied access, and 13 were postponed internally. Missions to areas not requiring coordination south of Wadi Gaza are not included in these statistics.
Hostilities and casualties (Gaza Strip)
The following are among the deadliest incidents reported on 12 February:
At about 6:00, 15 Palestinians, including children, were reportedly killed, and several others injured, when a residential building in southern Deir al Balah was struck.
At about 1:50, 11 Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in the Yibna area of southern Rafah, was struck.
At about 1:55, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens other injured, when a residential building in Tal Asl Sultan area, in western Rafah, was struck.
At about 2:00, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building near Al Falah Mosque, in northern Rafah, was struck.
At about 2:00, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others were injured, when a residential building in Al Adis area, in northeastern Rafah, was struck.
At about 2:00, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in Ash Shouka area, in southern Rafah, was struck.
At about 2:10, seven Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in An Nasser area, in southern Rafah, was struck.
At about 2:40, five Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in Al Junina area, in southern Rafah, was struck.
Aat about 2:45, ten Palestinians were reportedly killed, and tens of others injured, when a residential building in Bader area, in southern Rafah, was struck.
Disclaimer
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.
