U.N. Officials: Israel Must Allow Terrified Palestinians To Flee Gaza Fighting; Other Nations Need To Shelter Them

January 7, 2009 9:34 a.m. EST

New York, NY (AHN) - United Nations officials say that Israel must allow Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip who want to flee Israel's aerial and ground attack aimed at Hamas militants to do so.

U.N. officials are reminding neighboring states of their responsibility to provide access to safety for those fleeing the ongoing violence. There are about 1.5 million civilians in Gaza, about half of them are children. Many of the Palestinians are living without electricity and running water and are also running out of food.

When Israel began its aerial bombardment of Gaza in response to Hamas militants firing rockets into Israel, many Palestinians would have liked to leave, but were not able to because of Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The humanitarian crisis intensified when thousands of Palestinians sought safety and refuge in U.N. installations, including schools. Despite U.N. officials informing Israeli military officials of the locations of those U.N. facilities and telling them that the schools were filled with Palestinian families with children, Israeli forces bombed several of the schools, killing civilians.

Many terrorized civilian would flee the fighting in Gaza if Israel would let them out and other countries would give them shelter, according to reports.

"Those who are compelled to flee the Gaza Strip should be able to do so and to find safety and security in other countries according to international law," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said in a statement issued earlier this week.