GENEVA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday evening that people of Gaza continued to flee their homes amid escalating tensions and Israeli military displacement orders. Between Sunday and Monday, OCHA's partners monitoring population movements recorded nearly 48,000 displacements from north to south.

Since mid-August, more than 190,000 such movements have been observed, said the UN office.

Israeli artillery and airstrikes continued to hit Gaza City and beyond over the past 24 hours. The Israeli army has again declared Gaza city a "dangerous combat zone," and reiterated its order for residents to move south of the Wadi Gaza, according to the UN office.

The UN office noted that Gaza's blood banks and laboratories are now depleted of life-saving supplies and could close within days if not urgently replenished.

It also indicated that hospitals and clinics remain under severe pressure. Only three out of six medical points in Gaza City operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) remain operational.

It reported that humanitarian aid missions involving fuel and medical services have been canceled due to insecurity, traffic congestion, and looting. Aid convoys continue to face delays and risks along the way, preventing them from reaching civilians most in need.

The OCHA said that the United Nations and its humanitarian partners will continue to provide life-saving assistance and critical services in the Gaza Strip. ■