United Nations Staff
Israel has completed a century of killing the staff members of the United Nations in its Gaza bombing since Oct 7, 2023.
The United Nations announced this tragic development on Monday.
Despite repeated requests and warnings by the United Nations, Israeli forces continued relentless bombing on the Gaza Strip. Israelis even did not spare the UN’s staff members which led to the killing of 102 UN staffers.
It is the first time, the United Nations staffers have suffered the largest number of casualties in any conflict.
Reacting to the killing of the UN staffers, some social media users taunted that “the UN is also dead” as it failed to stop the Gaza bombing which killed more than 11,000 civilians, including 4400 children and women.
Meanwhile, the fallen individuals were dedicated professionals employed by the UN agency UNRWA, which provides vital assistance to Palestine refugees in Gaza, serving a population of 2.2 million people. Despite enduring continuous bombardment and a complete blockade of the enclave over the past month, these colleagues—ranging from school principals, teachers, health workers (including a gynecologist), engineers, and support staff, to a psychologist—contributed to delivering life-saving aid.
Tom White, the Director of UNRWA in the Gaza Strip, conveyed the gratitude of the agency’s staff for the worldwide gesture of lowering the UN flag. However, he emphasized the necessity of keeping the UN flag flying high in Gaza as a symbol of resilience and commitment to serving the people amidst adversity.
Across the globe, UN officials and staff observed a minute of silence to honor their departed colleagues and the UN flag was displayed at half-mast. Speaking from Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya, the Director-General of the UN Office in the city, highlighted the profound impact of these deaths, noting that it marked the highest number of aid workers lost in such a brief period in UN history.
Valovaya expressed recognition for the thousands of colleagues who continue to operate under the UN flag in some of the world’s most perilous regions, emphasizing the need to pay tribute to their unwavering dedication and service.
