UN humanitarian chief says a million have fled northern Gaza with some attacked on way

Martin Griffiths insists Israel has a right to defend itself but must abide by international law

Large parts of Gaza city have been evacuated as Israel continues bombing the Gaza Strip. EPA

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

A million civilians have now fled south in Gaza with some being attacked as they tried to escape, the United Nations’ humanitarian chief has said.

Israel has told residents of the strip to seek places of safety as it steps up attacks on Hamas targets ahead of an expected ground invasion of Gaza.

Martin Griffiths, UN Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, said about a million people from the north of Gaza had moved south in response to Israel's order to leave.

“They are all over the south trying to find a place of safety,” he told BBC radio.

“We have evidence some who moved have been attacked on their way south. This is against the rules of war. Let them get to safety. Let us help them when they’re there.

“We are in detailed discussions with the Israelis about those issues.”

Mr Griffiths did not expand on who had carried out the attacks.

He earlier wrote on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that “the spectre of death is hanging over Gaza” and “with no water, no power, no food and no medicine, thousands will die. Plain and simple”.

In his interview with the BBC he said the question of support for Israel’s right to defend itself was “really quite simple”.

“Support for Israel, just as support for the Palestinian people, needs to be based on the rules-based order we’ve lived with for so many years, which means no, you do not intervene, as happened on October 7, into the affairs of another state and steal people and keep them.

At UN headquarters in New York City, Rachel Zeitchik, right, and Jay Zeitchik attend an event for families of Israelis kidnapped by Hamas. AFP

Palestinians flee from northern Gaza towards the south after the Israeli army demanded the population of more than a million people leave before a ground invasion. AP

Demonstrators at a rally in support of Palestine face a counter-demonstration in support of Israel near Times Square in New York. EPA

Palestinians flee from northern Gaza to the south after the Israeli army issued an evacuation warning. AP

An injured man is rescued from the rubble of a building following an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. AP

Mourners take cover as sirens sound during the funeral of Tom Godo, killed during the attack by Hamas militants on the Kibbutz Kisuffim last week, in Kibbutz Naan near Tel Aviv. AFP

A Palestinian man flashes the victory sign as he and others leave northern Gaza before an expected Israeli ground offensive. AFP

Palestinians head south with their belongings after being ordered by Israel to leave northern Gaza on Friday. AFP

Israel ordered more than a million Palestinians to head south within 24 hours. Reuters

The UN criticised the directive, saying forcing such a large number of people to flee en masse would be catastrophic. Reuters

Gazans have to travel about 15km if they live in the northernmost part of the strip to reach the area south of the Wadi Gaza. Reuters

The UN said that more than 423,000 people have already fled their homes in the territory, with a sizeable number making the more than 10km journey on foot. Reuters

Palestinians with their belongings flee to safer areas in Gaza City. AFP

An Armoured Personnel Carrier drives near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip. Reuters

Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gather for mass Friday prayer during a protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters

A Palestinian woman waits to cross into Jerusalem's Old City through Damascus Gate next to Israeli soldiers. AFP

Israeli army infantry fighting vehicles deploy along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel. AFP

Israeli soldiers detain a man while on patrol near Kibbutz Beeri, near the Gaza Strip. AFP

Students hold in a rally in support of Palestine at Columbia University in New York. Getty Images

Family and friends mourn Valentin Ghnassia, 23, who was killed in a battle with Palestinian militants at Kibbutz Beeri near the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip. Getty Images

A ball of fire erupts in Gaza city after an Israeli air strike. AFP

Palestinians inspect the rubble of buildings hit by an Israeli air strike at Al Shati refugee camp. AP

A fireball erupts from an Israeli air strike in Gaza city. AFP

People waiting for news of victims outside the morgue at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. AFP

A girl mourns the death of members of the Samour family, who were killed in Israeli strikes on their house in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

Israelis arrive to sign up at a weapons distribution point for people allowed to carry arms, at the Ayyelet HaShahar Kibbutz in northern Israel, near the Lebanese border. AFP

Mourners outside the morgue at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City as battles between Israel and the Hamas movement continue for a sixth consecutive day. AFP

Men dig graves to bury members of the Samour family, who were killed in Israeli strikes on their house in Khan Younis. Reuters

Palestinian children who fled their homes during Israeli strikes, play at a United Nations-run school in Gaza City. Reuters

Israeli soldiers near a self-propelled howitzer near the border with Gaza in southern Israel. AFP

Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, left, welcomes US Secretary of State Antony Blinken upon arrival at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. AFP

Palestinian children in a makeshift shelter at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. Reuters

Boxes of humanitarian aid and supplies from Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation destined for Gaza, in Amman, Jordan. Reuters

Palestinians outside Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on the sixth day of fighting between Israel and Hamas. AFP

A pro-Israel vigil in Montevideo, Uruguay. EPA

“No, you do not respond to that terrible event by putting at risk millions of people who have nothing to do with that egregious act in Gaza.

“No, you do not deny humanitarian access to those people who deserve and need it and are legally entitled to it. It’s not a contradiction to be able to hold two thoughts at once.”

Mr Griffiths said “has been no movement … on the release of those hostages” taken captive during the Hamas attack on Israel, which he condemned as an “egregious, illegal, unacceptable, immoral act”.

Scores of lorries laden with humanitarian supplies were poised to cross into Gaza on Monday, after a week of relentless Israeli air strikes that have killed more than 2,200 Palestinians.

The movement of the supplies was supposed to be made possible by an agreement negotiated by Egypt, the US and Israel on a ceasefire scheduled for 9am, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied a truce had been put in place, in a statement on X.

Meanwhile, Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Israel has a “duty to minimise civilian casualties” in any further attacks on Gaza.

Mr Cleverly also disclosed he had had a private conversation with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog who assured him the country “respects and will abide by international law”.