UN blames ‘Israeli tank' for deadly strike on its buildings in Gaza
The United Nations said Monday a strike on its buildings in Gaza last week that killed one employee and injured several others was caused 'by an Israeli tank,' a claim disputed by the country's government.
'Based on the information currently available, the strikes hitting a UN compound in Deir Al Balah on 19 March were caused by an Israeli tank,' said the secretary-general's spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
The strike, which killed a Bulgarian employee of the UN Office for Project Services and severely injured six others, according to Dujarric, came as Israel renewed its intense bombardment of the Palestinian territory, carrying out the deadliest wave of attacks since a January truce in its war against militant group Hamas.
'The location of this UN compound was well known to the parties to the conflict,' Dujarric said.
Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said in a statement on X that Israel launched an investigation into the UN worker's death, but 'the initial examination found no connection... whatsoever' to Israeli military activity.
Given the renewed violence, Dujarric said the UN 'has taken the difficult decision' to temporarily reduce its international staff within the Palestinian territory.
But 'the UN is not leaving Gaza,' Dujarric stressed, adding that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres 'renews his urgent call for the restoration of the ceasefire to bring an end to the anguish.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
an hour ago
- Leaders
Protesters Gather in Rome for Immediate End to Gaza War
Italy's main opposition parties urged tens of thousands of people to demonstrate through the streets of Rome on Saturday against Israel's war in Gaza, according to the Associated Press. Wide Participation The protests came in a crucial time when opposition parties accuse the right-wing government of being too silent regarding what is happening in Gaza. The rally moved peacefully through the center of Rome with demonstrators holding a banner reading 'Stop the massacre, stop complicity!' Protesters Gather in Rome for Immediate End to Gaza War Organized by the leftist opposition, the march witnessed the participation of 300,000 people who asked the government to clarify its stance on the conflict in Gaza. 'This is an enormous popular response to say enough to the massacre of Palestinians and the crimes of (Israeli leader Benjamin) Netanyahu's government,' the leader of Italy's center-left Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, told reporters at the march. Breaking Silent The Italian premier has recently urged Israel to put an immediate end to its military campaign in Gaza, warning that its attacks had increased disproportionately and should be halted to protect civilians. '(The Italian government) is not reacting despite an abnormal massacre, despite an absolutely cruel and inappropriate reaction. The (Italian) government remains silent,' said Nadin Unali, a Tunisian demonstrator at the march. A Call for Cutting Relations Protesters Gather in Rome for Immediate End to Gaza War Last week, the government of Italy's southern Puglia region cut relations with Israel over its genocide in Gaza, according to Al-Jazeera. Puglia Governor Michele Emiliano stated that the Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Therefore, Emiliano called for an immediate suspension of all relations with all representatives of Israeli government. Emiliano also urged 'all managers and employees of the region, its agencies and participating companies to sever all relations of any kind with the institutional representatives of the Israeli government and with all those subjects attributable to it who are not openly and declaredly motivated by the desire to organize initiatives to stop the massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,' according to state-run ANSA news agency. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 54,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 118,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Madleen Aid Ship Nears Gaza after Reaching Egyptian Waters Gaza Marks Eid Al-Adha with Looming Famine, Rising Violence Israel to Block Entry of Madleen Aid Ship Heading to Gaza Short link : Post Views: 3
Saudi Gazette
2 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Tens of thousands gather in Rome for demonstration against the war in Gaza
ROME — The march, organised in Rome by the opposition forces Partito Democratico (Democratic Party), Movimento 5 Stelle (M5s) and Alleanza Verdi Sinistra Italiana (Avs), started from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and finished before the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano. Tens of thousands of people, according to the organizers, marched waving Palestine, peace and party flags and anti-war placards. But a number of Israel and peace flags with the Star of David in the center could also be seen. The banner reading "Gaza stop the massacre. Enough complicity" opened the procession, behind a stream of people arriving from all over Italy. According to the local authorities, at least ten thousand people lined the streets of Rome, and thousands more were in the square where the procession ended. Leading the demonstration were the leaders of the three parties, Giuseppe Conte for the M5s, Elly Schlein for the PD and for Avs, Angelo Bonelli and Nicola Fratoianni. Speaking to reporters, PD secretary Schlein said: "It is a huge response of participation to say enough to the massacre of Palestinians and the crimes of the Netanyahu government. It is another Italy that does not remain silent, as the Meloni government does. It is an Italy that wants the recognition of the Palestinian state and this is the Italy we want". "This is the square of humanity against the systematic extermination that has been going on for twenty months, starting with the Italian government that is pretending not to see and is still babbling,' said Conte of the M5s. This was not the only demonstration to end the war in Gaza. Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva and Carlo Calenda's Azione parties organized the meeting "Two peoples, two states, one destiny" at the Parenti theatre in Milan on Friday. The second demonstration arose after a disagreement between the two centrist parties and the organisers of the procession in Rome, because Italia Viva and Azione had requested a reference to anti-Semitism in the manifesto. This request was refused by Avs, M5s and Pd, because they considered the condemnation of the 7 October 2023 massacre carried out by Hamas in Israel to be already clear. In recent days, deputy minister Matteo Salvini criticized the opposition for organizing the event in Rome on the eve of the referendum on work and citizenship. "I hope that no one will use the deaths in Gaza to push people to go and vote", Salvini said. — Euronews
Leaders
3 hours ago
- Leaders
Madleen Aid Ship Nears Gaza after Reaching Egyptian Waters
Madleen Aid Ship, the sailing boat of Freedom Flotilla Coalition, has reached the Egyptian coast and is currently nearing Gaza shore, according to AFP. 'We are now sailing off the Egyptian coast,' German human rights activist Yasemin Acar told AFP. Reaching Egyptian Coast The International Committee for Breaking the Siege of Gaza, a member organization of the Flotilla Coalition, stated that the ship had entered Egyptian waters. On June 1, the aid ship set out from the Sicilian port of Catania in southern Italy on a mission to break 'Israel's siege' of the devastated territory, organizers said. Madleen aid ship The activists stated that they will try to reach the shores of Gaza and deliver some aids to Palestinians who are starving due to Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid. They assured that they remain in contact with international legal and human rights bodies to ensure the safety of the participating activists. Israeli Response On Friday, Israeli military sources said that Israel would send a 'direct message' to Madleen not to enter Gaza, according to The Jerusalem Post. If those on board 'defy orders or provoke' the Israeli army, they may be arrested and transferred to Ashdod port for their deportation. Greta Thunberg on Board Greta Thunberg Operated by activist group Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the crew includes Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists. 'We are doing this because, no matter what odds we are against, we have to keep trying,' Thunberg said. The mission also seeks to raise 'international awareness' over the ongoing humanitarian crisis. 'Because the moment we stop trying is when we lose our humanity. And no matter how dangerous this mission is, it's not even near as dangerous as the silence of the entire world in the face of the live-streamed genocide,' she added. Wide Participation Greta Thunberg and other activists Interestingly, 'Game of Thrones' actor Liam Cunningham and Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent joined the crew. Israel has previously banned Hassan from entering due to her obvious opposition to the Israeli war on Gaza. 'We are breaking the siege of Gaza by sea, but that's part of a broader strategy of mobilizations that will also attempt to break the siege by land,' said activist Thiago Avila. Related Topics: Israel to Block Entry of Madleen Aid Ship Heading to Gaza Aid Ship Sails to Gaza with Greta Thunberg on Board Gaza Marks Eid Al-Adha with Looming Famine, Rising Violence Short link : Post Views: 1
