Over 100 UN Staff Members Killed in Gaza Conflict, Highest Number in UN History: Report

By ANI

TEL AVIV: The ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel has resulted in the death of at least 102 United Nations (UN) staff members in Gaza, making it the highest number of casualties in the history of the United Nations, according to a statement released by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on Monday. The agency also reported that 27 UN staff members have been injured since the start of the war.

The UNRWA statement revealed that within the last 24 hours, one of its staff members, along with her family, was killed in the northern part of the Gaza Strip due to strikes, bringing the death toll to over 100. This tragic loss has led to United Nations offices around the world lowering their flags to half-staff on Monday, while all UN staff members observed a moment of silence to mourn and honor their colleagues who lost their lives in Gaza.

The conflict between Hamas and Israel began on October 7 when Hamas launched an attack on Israel. In response, Israel launched a fierce counter-offensive, targeting Hamas sites in Gaza. As per Israeli authorities, the death toll in Israel has reached more than 1200 since the start of the conflict. On the other hand, Palestinian authorities report that at least 11,180 people have lost their lives in Gaza as of November 13.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that two more soldiers were killed fighting against Hamas in the northern Gaza Strip, raising the death toll in the Israeli ground operation to 46, as reported by The Times of Israel. The IDF identified the fallen soldiers as Staff Sgt Roee Marom, a squad commander in the 906 Battalion, and Master Sgt Raz Abulafia, a fighter in the 6863 Battalion. In addition to this, a reservist logistics soldier and a non-commissioned officer in the Combat Engineering Corps’ 605th Battalion were seriously injured during the fighting in northern Gaza.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Hamas had lost control in the Gaza Strip as the Israel Defence Forces moved to fully capture Gaza City, according to The Times of Israel. He emphasized that there was no force capable of stopping the IDF and that the organization’s advance was evident in every location. Gallant further added that terrorists were fleeing south, and civilians were looting Hamas bases, indicating a lack of confidence in the Hamas government.

The devastating loss of lives among UN staff members and escalating casualties on both sides highlight the urgency for a ceasefire and a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. The international community continues to call for de-escalation and efforts to protect civilian lives in the war-torn region.

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