A UN employeeʼs car came under fire in Gaza, one person was killed

Author:
Olha Bereziuk
Date:

A car belonging to the UN Department of Safety and Security came under fire in the Gaza Strip. One person died, another was injured.

This was reported by the UN press service.

The incident occurred when the workers were on their way to the European Hospital in the city of Rafah.

Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attacks on staff and called for a full investigation. According to him, the UN is gathering information about the incident.

The organization did not say who it believed was responsible for the attack.

The Israeli military has conducted a preliminary investigation and claims that the car was hit in a zone of active hostilities, and the IDF was not warned about the route, the BBC writes.

The UN noted that more than 190 UN employees have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the war.

Israelʼs war in the Gaza Strip

Active hostilities between Israel and Hamas have been ongoing since October 7, 2023, when militants of the Islamist group launched a massive rocket attack on the southern and central regions of Israel, invaded the countryʼs territory, killed hundreds of civilians and took hostages.

In response, Israel launched a counter-terrorist operation, and then a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israelʼs military goals are clear — "the destruction of the military and management potential of Hamas and the return of the hostages home." In early December , Israel expanded the military operation to the entire territory of the Gaza Strip.

According to Reuters, Israel wants to create a buffer zone in the Gaza Strip after the end of the war with Hamas to prevent future attacks.

On April 7, 2024 , the Israel Defense Forces withdrew all ground forces from the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Only one brigade remained there — "Nakhal". In mid-April, the Prime Minister of Israel announced that the IDF would conduct an operation in the city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are currently residing. Evacuation of the population to humanitarian enclaves is planned. The Israeli authorities are determined to conduct an operation and eliminate the last four Hamas battalions based in the city. There is also a task to eliminate the leaders of the militants.

The UN is already preparing for the invasion of Israeli troops in Rafah. The US is actively pressuring Israel to revise the operation plan. Washington does not want a large number of civilian casualties, as this will affect the pre-election atmosphere in the US.