UN Agency Staff Among Victims of Deadly Israeli Strike on Gaza School

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) reported that six of its employees were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in the central Gaza Strip. At least 18 people died in the attack, which occurred at the al-Jaouni school in the Nuseirat refugee camp.

This strike resulted in the highest loss of life among UNRWA staff in a single incident since the Israeli attacks on Gaza began over 11 months ago. The agency said that among those killed were the shelter manager and other staff members helping displaced families.

The al-Jaouni school, where around 12,000 displaced Palestinians, mostly women and children, had taken refuge, has been hit five times since the Israeli offensive began.

UNRWA emphasized that no one is safe in Gaza and that schools and civilian infrastructure should never be targeted. It also reported that two additional staff members were killed in the same attack on Wednesday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres posted on social media that the deaths demonstrated severe violations of international humanitarian law and a complete failure to protect civilians. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said the staff members were providing essential support to the people sheltering in the school and that humanitarian workers and facilities have been consistently ignored during the conflict.

Lazzarini also mentioned that at least 220 UNRWA employees have lost their lives since the beginning of the Israeli offensive on Gaza.

The Israeli military claimed that the school was being used by Hamas to plan and carry out attacks, but a survivor said that the part of the school that was hit was only used by women and children.

Another survivor described the tragic loss of all six of her children in the attack, questioning what crime these innocent children had committed.

Israel launched its offensive on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following a historic operation by Hamas in retaliation for ongoing Israeli actions against Palestinians. As of now, Israeli strikes have killed over 41,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, and injured more than 95,000 others.