Gaza City, April 6 (RHC)-- Since Israel resumed its bombing of the Gaza Strip last month, more than 142,000 people have been displaced, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said.

“Since the war in Gaza started, around 1.9 million people – including thousands of children – have gone through repeated forced displacement amid bombardment, fear, and loss.  

The UNRWA statement notes: “The collapse of the ceasefire caused yet another wave of displacement, impacting over 142,000 people just between 18 and 23 March.”

In other news, the Israeli army continues its aerial and ground attack on the outskirts of Gaza City’s eastern neighbourhood of Shujayea for a second day.

Some families trapped in the area are facing difficulty escaping their tents, or what remains of their homes, due to the intensity of shelling.

“We fear leaving our homes and tents due to the intensity and indiscriminateness of the Israeli shelling.  Most of the tents have been torn apart by the ongoing artillery shelling,” a resident told Al Jazeera.

“Israeli drones are approaching us, making terrifying sounds and suddenly opening fire,” the person said, adding that dozens of families are calling for urgent rescue.

Israeli forces have also continued their incursion into the western areas of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoon for about 17 days, bulldozing land and destroying homes.

The attacks take place as Israel announced this week a major expansion of its Israeli ground assault on Gaza, planning to seize large areas of the Palestinian enclave and incorporate them into so-called “security” zones.