UNRWA Situation Report #69 on the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem (all information from 23-24 January 2024, is valid as of 24 January 2024 at 22:30) [EN/AR]

Days 109-110 of Hostilities

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Key Points

The Gaza Strip

• Intense fighting in/around Khan Younis (Southwest of Gaza) over the last three days is causing loss of lives and damage to civilian infrastructure, including UNRWA’s largest shelter in the southern area, the Khan Younis Training Centre.
• On 24 January, the UNRWA Khan Younis Training Centre was hit by direct fire. It struck a building housing 800 displaced people. At least 13 people were killed and 56 injured, 21 of them critically, in what should have been a place of safety. 43,000 internally displaced people are registered in and within close vicinity of the training centre, which is being used as an UNRWA shelter. Yesterday’s strike was the third direct hit on this compound. UNRWA shares the location of all its facilities including shelters directly with Israeli authorities. UNRWA received assurances that people inside them would be safe.
• As of 22 January 2024, the total number of UNRWA colleagues killed since the beginning of hostilities has increased by one and is now 152.
• According to OCHA, telecommunication services in Gaza have been gradually restored in most of the Strip, while the internet remains severely disrupted in all areas. This prevents people in Gaza from accessing life-saving information and continues to impede humanitarian response. Due to the security situation and poor internet connectivity, we are unable to update the number of people reached since Sitrep 67.
• As of 22 January, up to 1.7 million* people (over 75 per cent of the population)** have been displaced across the Gaza Strip, some multiple times.*** Families are forced to move repeatedly in search of safety. Following intense Israeli bombardments and fighting in Khan Younis and the Middle Areas in recent days, a significant number of displaced people have moved again further south.

*This includes 1 million individuals residing in or near emergency shelters or informal shelters. As of October 12, approximately 160,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were recorded in north Gaza and Gaza governorates. The ability of UNRWA to provide humanitarian support and updated data in these areas has been severely restricted. The ongoing hostilities, evacuation orders issued by Israeli Forces, and the constant need for safer locations have resulted in people being displaced multiple times.

**UNRWA has reported in Situation Report 64 that up to 1.9 million IDPs are either residing in 154 UNRWA shelters or near these shelters. Due to the continued escalation of fighting and evacuation orders, some households have moved away from the shelters where they were initially registered.

*** There are instances where the same IDPs are registered in multiple shelters due to the fluid movement of populations; hereafter, estimates are used for these shelters. UNRWA plans to conduct a more accurate count of IDPs in shelters, including informal shelters, as soon as the security situation allows.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem

West Bank updates cover 23 – 24 January 2024.

Between 23–24 January the following Israeli Security Forces (ISF) search and arrest operations occurred:

• Overnight on 22 – 23 January, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Beit Furik, northern West Bank. ISF reportedly opened fired during the clashes injuring one Palestinian.
• On 23 January near Enab checkpoint, southeast of Tulkarm, northern West Bank, ISF shot dead a Palestinian from Far’un village. Following the incident, ISF closed the checkpoint.
• On 23 January at night, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Ya’bad, northern West Bank. ISF reportedly opened fire during the clashes injuring one Palestinian with live ammunition.
• On 23 January at night, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Nablus, northern West Bank. ISF reportedly opened fire during the clashes injuring two Palestinians, including a minor, with live ammunition. Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulances were reportedly prevented from reaching the injured by ISF.
• On 23 January at night, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Sabastiya, northern West Bank. ISF reportedly opened fire during the clashes and destroyed several Palestinian vehicles.
• On the morning of 23 January, a Palestinian woman allegedly attempted to stab ISF soldiers. ISF shot her near the Psagot settlement, injuring her. She was then detained.
• On 24 January, ISF reportedly shot at a Palestinian in Al Jalama, northern West Bank, resulting in shrapnel injuries.
• On 24 January, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Beita, northern central West Bank, injuring one Palestinian.
• On 24January 24, ISF conducted a search and arrest operation in Adh Dhahiriya, southern central West Bank. ISF reportedly used live ammunition and tear gas canisters during clashes, injuring a Palestinian with live ammunition. ISF reportedly confiscated five Palestinian vehicles.