At least one staff member from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has been killed and another 22 injured in an Israeli attack on a food distribution centre in Rafah, southern Gaza.
At least five people were killed in the “bombing of the warehouse”, according to the Health Ministry.
At least 165 UNRWA team members were killed including while in the line of duty since the beginning of the genocidal war on Gaza.
“Today’s attack on one of the very few remaining UNRWA distribution centres in the Gaza Strip comes as food supplies are running out, hunger is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.
“Every day, we share the coordinates of all our facilities across the Gaza Strip with parties to the conflict. The Israeli army received the coordinates including of this facility yesterday.”
More than 400 people were killed while seeking shelter in UN facilities in Gaza, UNRWA said. More than 150 of the agency’s structures were hit despite having protected status under international law.
“The United Nations, its personnel, premises and assets must be protected at all times … I am calling once again for an independent inquiry into these violations and the need for accountability,” Lazzarini added.
Twelve UNRWA members were accused by Israel last month of having links to the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, prompting more than 10 donor countries to suspend financial support to the agency that employs more than 13,000 people.
