UN aid operations in Gaza halted after repeated Israeli evacuation orders

United Nations humanitarian aid operations in Gaza ground to a halt on Monday after Israel issued new evacuation orders for Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip late on Sunday, a senior UN official says.

“We’re unable to deliver today with the conditions that we’re in,” says the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“We’re not leaving (Gaza) because the people need us there,” the official says. “We’re trying to balance the need of the population with the need for safety and security of the UN personnel.”

The official says UN staff on the ground have been directed to try and find a way to keep operating.

The official says the United Nations had relocated its main command operations for the Gaza Strip and most UN personnel to Deir Al-Balah after Israel ordered the evacuation of Rafah in the south of Gaza.

“Where do we move now?” asks the official, adding that U.N. staff had to be moved so quickly that equipment was left behind.

“The challenge is to find a place where we can reset and effectively operate,” the official says. “The space to operate is being restricted more and more than ever.”