UN reducing international staff numbers in Gaza after Israeli strikes
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Smoke rising from a burning building in North Gaza, as seen from the Israel-Gaza border on March 23.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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GAZA – The United Nations said on March 24 it is reducing its international staff numbers in Gaza by about a third after Israeli strikes in the enclave that have killed hundreds of civilians, including UN personnel.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told a regular news briefing the move was taken for security and operational reasons and would involve the withdrawal of about 30 of the 100 or so international staff now in Gaza.
“What we’re doing is reducing the number of international staff members by about one-third this week, maybe a bit more likely to come. It’s a temporary measure. We hope to have people return to Gaza as soon as practicable,” he said, stressing that the UN was not leaving Gaza.
“The Secretary-General has taken the difficult decision... even as humanitarian needs soar and our concern over the protection of civilians intensifies,” he said. “The organisation remains committed to continuing to provide aid that civilians depend on for their survival and protection.”
Mr Dujarric said that based on current information, strikes that hit a UN compound
“The location of this UN compound was well known to the parties to the conflict,” he said, adding that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had demanded “a full, thorough and independent investigation”.
Gaza’s Health Ministry attributed the strike to Israel, but Israel denied this, saying it hit a Hamas site where it detected preparations for firing into Israeli territory.
Asked if the UN believed the compound had been deliberately targeted, Mr Dujarric said: “I think that’s one of the reasons we need to have a pretty clear and transparent investigation. The point is that the Israelis knew exactly where this UN facility was, and it was hit by a shell from one of their tanks.”
The Israeli military said its forces had fired on March 24 at a building belonging to the Red Cross in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah as a result of incorrect identification, after an office belonging to the aid organisation was damaged by an explosive projectile. REUTERS
