This comes as humanitarians continue to receive reports that air strikes, shelling, gunfire and other continuing Israeli military operations in the enclave are causing more civilian casualties, displacement and destruction.

In recent days, hundreds of families were reportedly displaced in two neighbourhoods in eastern Gaza City following strikes and movement of military equipment, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists in New York on Wednesday.

Investigation and accountability

He was asked about the killing of the boys, which occurred on Saturday.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged the strike in a post on social media, saying troops had identified two terrorists crossing the ‘yellow line’ in northern Gaza, thus posing an immediate threat to them.

The incident was “horrific, to say the least,” Mr. Dujarric said.

“It's hard to see how two boys, eight and 10, can be considered a threat. And there needs to be an investigation and accountability into what happened.”

Health sector support in Rafah

Across Gaza, the UN and partners continue to aid people in need, wherever access is available, and six additional healthcare service points have opened since Sunday.

“Yesterday in Rafah, a team from the World Health Organization (WHO) also managed to reach the European Hospital, which remains non-operational, to move some vital equipment to functioning healthcare facilities,” he said.

However, the Israeli security authorities continue to deny attempts to gain access to Kamal Adwan Hospital in North Gaza.

WHO also facilitated the referral and transfer of the first patient to the Emirati Field Hospital since before the Rafah incursion last year, which had rendered the facility inaccessible. It is the only functioning medical facility serving the Rafah area.

Winter supplies for vulnerable households

Meanwhile, preparations for winter are a key priority, Mr. Dujarric said, and the UN and partners continue to deliver shelter supplies and other critical items to the most vulnerable households.

“Since Sunday, some 4,400 families received tents, tarpaulins, blankets, winter clothing and kitchen sets across Gaza through UN-coordinated deliveries,” he said.

“In addition, our partners managing displacement sites report that work is ongoing to help prepare suitable locations for those seeking to leave high-risk areas, including shoreline communities.”

Moving to safety

Humanitarians report that in Khan Younis, an estimated 4,000 households live along the coast, and around 1,000 are at especially high risk due to their proximity to the water line.

Some of these families have reportedly started to relocate to the two sites deemed safe by the local municipality

Efforts to improve water and sanitation access also continue. Partners report that 42 truckloads of debris have been cleared over the past 48 hours to reach three wells in Beit Lahiya, North Gaza, and repairs are expected to begin soon.

In the meantime, unexploded remnants of war continue to pose a deadly threat to civilians. Over the past week, partners working in the sector were able to carry out 50 assessments across Gaza to help lower the risks for aid workers.

Six people were reportedly killed last week, and 10 others injured, in two incidents involving explosive ordnance in Gaza City and Deir Al-Balah.