Amid a new wave of violence in the Gaza Strip, United Nations (UN) aid workers have expressed concern about “growing difficulties in delivering humanitarian aid”amid continuous attacks and evacuation orders.

The spread of disease poses an immediate threat due to shortages of water, sanitation and food in the south, where population densities reach 12,000 people per square kilometer, as reported by the UN.

Efforts to supply Gaza were hampered by Night bombing by the Israeli armyí in the Gaza Strip and intense clashes with Hamas militants, UN aid workers warned this Wednesday.

At the same time, the UN Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) assured that Israeli ground forces had carried out attacks on populated areas in the north and south of the Palestinian territory, including the central areas, raising growing concerns about security of displaced civilians.

Tom White, UNRWA’s director of affairs in the Gaza Strip, tweeted that Rafah, in the south of the strip, was congested, a difficult situation illustrated by video showing long lines of vehicles loaded with mattresses and belongings.

“The population is forced to move again. More people in less space. Rafah, in the south of the country, is now bursting at the seams. There is no truce. “The time has come for a humanitarian ceasefire,” he wrote.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Israeli forces carried out “intensive” air, land and sea bombing of most of the Gaza Strip between December 23 and 26, including more than 50 attacks on refugee camps that killed dozens and hampered access for aid groups due to destroyed roads.

Since the bombings began more than 80 days ago, the Israel Defense Forces have responded to Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel, leaving at least 20,915 Palestinians killed, 858 of them between December 23 and 26, according to the enclave’s health department. OCHA also reported that 164 Israeli soldiers were killed and 874 wounded during ground operations in the Gaza Strip.

They said the situation had worsened due to a new evacuation order issued by the Israel Defense Forces, which affected residents of the central Gaza Strip.

Juliet Thoma, UNRWA communications director, warned of the serious situation in the southern camps, highlighting dangerous conditions such as “400 people share a toilet“, which increases the risk of spreading diseases.

UN humanitarian staff reiterate the difficulties in meeting the needs of the population in southern Gaza, where population density is extremely high. Despite efforts, the delivery of humanitarian aid has become challenge amid escalating violence and difficult conditions in the region.