Thousands of Palestinians are fleeing northern Gaza after Israel warned that it planned to step up its campaign on the area in an attempt to stop the rockets being launched over the border into Israel.

Israel called residents and dropped leaflets in Al Atatra, northern Gaza, on 12 July, warning them to flee the area to avoid injury as Israel continues to bombard the heavily populated area as part of Operation Defensive Edge.

The UN has declared an emergency in all five areas of the Gaza Strip, and say that 17,000 people have sought refuge in its facilities such as UN Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) schools.

At least 172 Palestinians have been killed since the Israel launched its military operation last week, with at least 1,100 injured.

The UNRWA also described the alleged targeting of Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU) as an “alarming development” in the Gaza conflict, with water already a scarce resource in the area before the conflict.