UN issues warning on ‘apocalyptic’ situation in Gaza as Israeli troops swoop south

The United Nations has warned there is ‘no safe place to go’ for Palestinians in Gaza as Israeli troops move further south.

UN officials have warned of an ‘apocalyptic’ situation as heavy fighting and bombardment of the besieged enclave continues.

It comes after the IDF ordered the evacuation of a fifth of the southern city of Khan Younis, an area which has been hit with airstrikes overnight.

UN emergency relief official Martin Griffiths said: ‘Every time we think things cannot get any more apocalyptic in Gaza, they do.

‘People are being ordered to move again, with little to survive on, forced to make one impossible choice after another.

‘Such blatant disregard for basic humanity must stop,’ he said.

The bombardment comes as Israel steps up its pursuit of Hamas and over the weekend expanded its ground operations to the whole territory.

The IDF also confirmed its forces have surrounded the Jabalia refugee camp at the northern end of the Gaza Strip, close to the Israeli border.

The area has seen intense military operations since a week-long pause in fighting came to an end.

Lorryloads of aid have entered Gaza over the past two days, but their progress has been hindered by fighting.

Meanwhile a British-Israeli soldier called Binyamin Needham was named by the IDF as one of three troops who died on Sunday while the military extended its ground offensive in the south of the Strip.

Tributes have been paid to the fighter in the 401st Brigade, who was fatally injured two days after being deployed to the frontline.

Reports of his death come as Israel continues to attack Gaza, killing hundreds of civilians since the humanitarian pause ended on December 1.

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