The United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA) this Tuesday regretted and denounced the deaths of 130 employees at the agency following the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
In a message on his personal account on the social network X (formerly Twitter), the agency’s general commissioner, Philippe Lazzarini, said that “among the countless civilians, women and children who have died in the war” are “130 UNRWA colleagues confirmed”.
‘No one is spared, it is a devastating and never-ending human tragedy’Lazzarini said, shortly after the Israeli army began urging people to leave the eastern part of the city of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, where the Israeli army has already been deployed.
The Israeli military has now described the area as “very dangerous” for civilians after carrying out a ground incursion in the north and asking civilians to move to the south of the Gaza Strip, as reported by UNRWA.
“They are telling people to move to Rafah for help, but we cannot help the thousands of recently displaced people”said the head of UNRWA in Gaza, Thomas White, referring to the growing influx of people to the area close to the border with Egypt.
However, the agency itself warned that even in Rafah, where people are being forced to move, bomb attacks occur every day from time to time.
“People are asking for help to know where they can feel safest. There is no longer a safe place to go because there is simply nowhere to go [na Faixa de Gaza]. People who have had to move multiple times are now being pressured to move to a small area in the south after evacuation orders. What’s next?”regretted UNRWA Communications Director Juliette Touma.
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began on October 7, after a surprise attack by the Islamist group – classified as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Israel – on Israeli territory, killing more than 1,200 and killing more . 240 hostages taken to the Gaza Strip.
To date, 122 hostages remain in the enclave, as well as the bodies of another 15 hostages confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, Israeli bombings have killed about 15,900 people in Gaza, the majority of whom are women and children. Authorities estimate that more than 7,000 people are missing under the rubble, so the death toll could be much higher.
Source: DN
