Statement by Commissioner Lahbib on the forced displacement orders in Rafah, Gaza

Reports coming out of southern Gaza are deeply alarming. Over 140,000 people are being forcibly displaced. Civilians are fleeing under fire.

The suffering of the people of Gaza must stop.

Since the breakdown of the ceasefire, over 300 children have been killed. The month-long aid blockade by Israel threatens the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

The World Food Programme announced that their meaningful stockpiles will be soon exhausted. Gazans are trapped, with no safe way to escape the violence. They face unbearable levels of death, disease, destruction, and hunger.

International humanitarian law is clear — humanitarian aid must reach civilians in need. The use of humanitarian aid as a tool of war is prohibited by international law.

We must swiftly return to a sustained ceasefire. All hostages must be immediately released. People displaced in Gaza must be guaranteed the right to return to their homes safely and with dignity.