Israeli Forces Shell UN Shelter in Gaza, Killing Several People
In a tragic turn of events, Israeli forces have shelled a United Nations shelter in Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis, resulting in the deaths of several people. Thomas White, the Gaza head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), took to social media to report on the incident. He stated, “Two tank rounds hit the building that shelters 800 people – reports now 9 dead and 75 injured.” The number of casualties is expected to rise, as White believes there may be “mass casualties” from the attack.
The UNRWA has been desperately trying to send ambulances to the site in coordination with the Israeli army, but their efforts have been hindered by the presence of Israeli tanks in the area. Adnan Abu Hasna, a spokesperson for UNRWA, described the situation as “very dangerous” and expressed disappointment in their failed attempts to coordinate the evacuation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the shelter.
Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, condemned the attack on the shelter, calling it “a blatant disregard of basic rules of war.” He emphasized that the compound was clearly marked as a UN facility, and its coordinates were shared with Israeli authorities, as is standard practice for all UN facilities. Lazzarini believes that the number of casualties is likely higher than reported.
The attack has also drawn international condemnation. The US State Department’s deputy spokesperson, Vedant Patel, expressed deep concern over the incident, stating, “We deplore today’s attack on UNRWA’s training centre. Civilians must be protected, and the protected nature of UN facilities must be respected.”
This attack is part of a larger pattern of intense Israeli attacks on Khan Younis. Medical facilities have been targeted, among other locations. The Gaza Ministry of Health reported that the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis was isolated by the Israeli army, and ground troops engaged in close-quarter combat with Hamas fighters. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) also reported that the Israeli army surrounded their headquarters and the El Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, imposing restrictions on movement to and from the medical facility.
Khan Younis, once designated a “safe zone” for Palestinians who evacuated from other parts of Gaza, has now become a site of intense conflict. Israeli soldiers recently advanced into the al-Mawasi district near the Mediterranean coast west of Khan Younis. Asmaa Abu Khudair, a Palestinian woman displaced from al-Mawasi to Rafah, shared her harrowing experience of fleeing the area after her neighbor’s building was attacked. She described the scene, saying, “Their aircraft started firing. All of a sudden, balls of fire started to fall on us… The whole area was in flames, fire everywhere.” Abu Khudair tragically lost one of her daughters in the chaos.
Since the war began on October 7, Israeli attacks on Gaza have resulted in the deaths of at least 25,700 people and left 63,740 wounded. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with innocent civilians caught in the crossfire and UN facilities being targeted. The international community must come together to condemn these attacks and work towards a peaceful resolution to end the suffering of the people in Gaza.
