ANKARA

In an urgent alarm, the UN’s top humanitarian aid official on Saturday warned that amid a rapidly deteriorating situation and a fierce, weeks-long Israeli army push, “the entire population of North Gaza is at risk of dying”

“Hospitals have been hit and health workers have been detained. Shelters have been emptied and burned down,” said Joyce Msuya, acting under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.

Msuya highlighted the alarming impact of the Israeli onslaught on healthcare and civilian safety, as well as the plight of first responders, noting that they have been “prevented from rescuing people from under the rubble.”

The humanitarian chief expressed deep concern for the civilian population, reporting that “families have been separated and men and boys are being taken away by the truckload.”

The Israeli violence has resulted in “hundreds of Palestinians reportedly killed,” with “tens of thousands forced to flee yet again,” she said.

Msuya warned that “the entire population of North Gaza is at risk of dying,” condemning the ongoing attacks and blockade as showing “blatant disregard for basic humanity and for the laws of war.”

She called for immediate international action to halt the violence and ensure the protection of civilians in the region.

Israeli army ground incursions and bombardments continue across northern Gaza, as the forces push for forced displacement of Palestinians.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack last year by Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

Nearly 43,000 people have since been killed, most of them women and children, and over 100,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi