<\/p>\n
In a joint statement, the Humanitarian Country Team in the Occupied Palestinian Territory said the growth of Israeli-controlled areas since the ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025, combined with movement restrictions, is limiting access for aid workers and reducing the space available for civilians already displaced by the conflict.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
According to the UN, Israeli forces have used lethal force to enforce access restrictions in controlled areas since the ceasefire came into effect. Between October 10, 2025, and early April 2026, the UN verified the deaths of 196 Palestinians in incidents reported near areas where Israeli forces were deployed. Those killed included 18 women and 43 children.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The UN said many of the victims were reportedly moving through areas where restrictions were not clearly marked, while many others were injured.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Humanitarian agencies warned that the restrictions are also affecting the delivery of life-saving assistance. Delays and interruptions to aid operations have forced some organisations to scale back or temporarily suspend critical services, impacting thousands of people in need.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The statement noted that access-restricted areas now cover about 65% of Gaza\u2019s land area, significantly reducing the space available to civilians. Most of Gaza\u2019s population has already been displaced multiple times and is now concentrated in increasingly crowded locations.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The UN said access to most restricted areas remains prohibited for residents, while humanitarian organisations are required to coordinate movement into these zones. Access by sea also remains off limits.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Humanitarian partners renewed calls for an end to attacks on Palestinians who are perceived to be approaching areas controlled by Israeli forces. \u201cCivilians must always be protected in line with international humanitarian and human rights law,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The UN also reported that families fled parts of Beit Lahia after Israeli forces advanced in the area. According to reports, three tents were set on fire after incendiary munitions were dropped from the air, while new barriers were put in place, marking a further expansion of the so-called \u201cYellow Line\u201d.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, health conditions continue to deteriorate. Humanitarian agencies warned of the ongoing spread of skin diseases and acute watery diarrhoea, driven by overcrowding and poor water and sanitation conditions.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Relief efforts remain under pressure due to access constraints and funding shortages, with less than a quarter of the humanitarian appeal for Gaza funded so far.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Despite these challenges, the UN Development Programme reported progress in waste removal operations at Gaza\u2019s historic Firas Market, where approximately 250 000 cubic metres of waste have been cleared, opening up about 75% of the market area as part of broader recovery efforts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
–UN\/ChannelAfrica–<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":38636,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"news-type":[26],"class_list":["post-38635","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-type-general_news","entry"],"acf":{"short_description":"The United Nations (UN) and its humanitarian partners have warned that the continued expansion of areas under Israeli control in Gaza is increasing risks for civilians and further restricting humanitarian operations.","published_date":"","news_description":"The United Nations (UN) and its humanitarian partners have warned that the continued expansion of areas under Israeli control in Gaza is increasing risks for civilians and further restricting humanitarian operations.","form_embed":"","author":"","image_caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/38635","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/38635\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38637,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/38635\/revisions\/38637"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38635"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.channelafrica.co.za\/channelafrica\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=38635"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}