The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) a statement warning of “anarchy” in the Gaza Strip on Friday after Israel issued an evacuation order on July 9, which the OHCHR says forced families to stay “amid active hostilities or risk fleeing to areas still subject to attack.”

The statement, made by Ajith Sunghay, the Head of OHCHR for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, comes after he spent several weeks with non-governmental organizations in the region. He observed that Israeli bombing has “[dismantled] local capacity to maintain public order and safety in Gaza.” This, according to Sunghay, has contributed to the “unlawful killings of local police and humanitarian workers, and the strangulation of supplies,” risking the spread of “anarchy” in the area.

Gaza has been embroiled in violence since Israel launched an offensive in Gaza last October after the deadly Hamas attack on October 7.  In early July, the UN estimated that more than 84,000 people had been displaced from Eastern Gaza due to limited humanitarian aid alone. Sunghay highlights that the breakdown in civil order raises “enormous challenges for any meaningful humanitarian response,” exacerbating the human rights crisis.

Sunghay concluded his statement by supporting a ceasefire and suggests that “the internationally agreed upon two-State solution must become a reality.” While several powerful countries, including the US, have called for a ceasefire, and the UN Security Council recently passed a resolution supporting an American plan, Israel and Hamas haven’t agreed on the same terms. This is despite the fact that both parties had previously agreed to separate negotiated deals in May. Hamas has been unwilling to accept a deal without a permanent ceasefire, though both sides remain open to continued negotiations.