Israeli authorities have reportedly resulted in the deaths of 366 UN personnel and their relatives in Gaza.
Title: Shocking Figures Reveal Deadly War on UN Personnel in Gaza
By Jake Johnson, Staff Writer, Common Dreams
Leaked U.N. documents obtained by Drop Site reveal that Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the highest ever toll on United Nations staff and their families. Estimates from the U.N.'s Crisis Coordination Center suggest at least 366 lives lost, with 195 U.N. employees among the fatalities.
The devastating impact is most pronounced on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), with 158 dependent family members of staffers killed since October.
Israel's military actions, aided by U.S. weaponry and diplomatic support, have placed humanitarian relief workers in grave danger. Efforts to deliver essential supplies to those in need, such as food and medical aid, have been met with violence. Last weekend, for instance, Israeli soldiers fired upon a U.N. convoy heading toward Gaza City, narrowly avoiding casualties.
While the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has historically seen the most fatalities of any U.N. peacekeeping mission with 332 deaths over its history, Israel's military campaign in Gaza marks the most dangerous conflict specifically for United Nations personnel. Targeting humanitarian relief personnel is a grave violation of international law.
As the war in Gaza rages on, Israel's actions have led to near-famine conditions for many civilians. The European-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reports that during just a 12-hour period earlier this week, Israeli forces killed at least 70 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in their assault on Khan Younis.
Days before an anticipated speech to U.S. Congress, representatives from dozens of Democratic lawmakers have announced their intention to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Opposition to Netanyahu's visit has been strong, with protesters advocating for an end to U.S. complicity in the Israeli Defense Forces' (IDF) aggressive actions and mass atrocities.
Amid these violent conflict reports, U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) highlighted the need for accountability: "Netanyahu should be arrested and sent to the International Criminal Court," she asserted, referencing the ICC's request for an arrest warrant for the prime minister.
As the city braces for Netanyahu's address, protesters took to Capitol Hill earlier this week for a peaceful demonstration against Israel's actions in Gaza, leading to hundreds of arrests.
Published by Common Dreams on 07/24/2024, under the terms of Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported.
- The high toll on United Nations staff in Gaza, as revealed in leaked U.N. documents, is a grim addition to the general news, including war-and-conflicts, politics, and crime-and-justice.
- The targeting of humanitarian relief personnel in Israel's military campaign in Gaza is a significant violation of international law, underscoring these topics in the realm of politics and crime-and-justice.
