Number of displaced persons in Gaza spikes to 187,518: UN

GAZA: The number of people displaced in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict increased to 187,518 as of Tuesday, according to UN agencies.

"Mass displacement has escalated in the past 24 hours across the Gaza Strip, reaching over 187,518, and is expected to increase further," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest situation update.

The OCHA added that 137,427 of the total displaced persons are currently taking shelter in schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Since the beginning of the conflict on October 7, four schools and eight healthcare facilities in Gaza have sustained damage, the Office added.

Also in update, the UNRWA said that its Gaza Field Office, where domestic and international staff are present, suffered collateral damage due to airstrikes in the Rimal area.

In total, 18 UNRWA installations have been affected so far, the Agency added.

As the violence raged for a fourth day on Tuesday, the death toll on both sides has increased to nearly 1,600.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has confirmed that the death toll and injuries from retaliatory Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have increased to 687 and 3,726, respectively.

According to Israeli government officials, more than 900 people have died, of which 260 people were massacred by Hamas gunmen at a music festival shortly after the group launched its attack.

The officials added that the number of fataltities was expected to rise because rescuers are yet to reach areas where the Hamas militants and Israeli troops are still engaged in fierce battles.

The Israeli Health Ministry said the number of injured people has climbed to 2,616, including 25 in critical condition.