DHAKA: The UN's top rights and refugee officials have condemned Israel's bombardment of Gaza and warned of a major humanitarian crisis, with almost half of Palestinians now refugees in their own territory.

Navi Pillay, the UN human rights commissioner, on Thursday said that Israel had attacked homes, schools, hospitals, and UN premises in apparent violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Valerie Amos, the UN's humanitarian aid coordinator meanwhile told a UN security council meeting that there were now 440,000 refugees fleeing fighting in Gaza, and that hundreds of thousands more were without basic services, power and food.

And Philippe Krahenbuhl, the top UN refugee official in Gaza, said that the Palestinian territory was "facing a precipice" and said "the illegal blockade of Gaza must be lifted".

The comments came a day after Israeli shells hit a UN-run school which was being used as a refugee centre by more than 3,300 people. Nineteen people were killed, and many more wounded.

Pillay, who has previously condemned Israeli attacks on Gazan civilians, told a news briefing on Thursday: "The shelling of houses directly means a violation of Israel's obligation to protect the right to housing, right to food, right to clean water of Gazans, even as, under its obligation as an occupying force."

"Therefore I would say that they appear to be defying ... deliberate defiance of obligations that international law imposes on Israel."

She added that the Hamas group had also violated international humanitarian law by firing rockets into Israel.

Her statement was followed by Amos, who told a UN meeting that there was "no safe place in Gaza".

"We have all watched in horror the desperation of children, of civilians, as they have come under attack, with no safe place to go.

Source: Al Jazeera

BDST: 0907 HRS, AUG 01, 2014