An UNRWA school sheltering displaced families in the Gaza Strip was directly hit on Sunday. The school, sheltering more than 225 people, was severely damaged.

Meanwhile, the number of people forced to flee their homes in search of safety has significantly increased overnight. Nearly 74,000 displaced people are now in 64 UNRWA shelters, with numbers likely to increase as heavy shelling and airstrikes continue including on civilian areas.  

UNRWA teams are providing families with shelter and clean water. Supplies are being prepared to deliver to families, including food, hygiene kits and cleaning supplies.

UNRWA said that civilians must be protected at all times, including during fighting and that schools and other civilian infrastructure, including those sheltering displaced families, must never come under attack.