UN warns of civilian risk in Gaza

By Nathan Morley

United Nations aid teams have warned that civilians are increasingly caught in crossfire as Israeli forces intensify operations to drive out Hamas fighters from Gaza.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued an urgent appeal for the protection of non-combatants, citing active hostilities and mass displacement.

Despite repeated evacuation orders, hundreds of thousands of people are believed to remain in Gaza City, many of them sheltering amid ongoing bombardment and ground operations.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 163,000 injured since the war began in October 2023. 

Aid groups say the vast majority of casualties are civilians, including thousands of children.

In a separate development, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Sunday that the United Kingdom now formally recognises the state of Palestine, joining Canada and Australia in backing Palestinian sovereignty.

The move drew criticism from both Israel and the United States, which described it as a diplomatic concession to Hamas.