Israeli army claims UN vehicle struck in ‘active combat zone’ in Rafah

By Anadolu staff

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli army claimed on Tuesday that a United Nations vehicle that was struck in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip was in an “active combat zone.”

A UN staff member employed by the UN Department of Safety and Security was killed and another injured after their vehicle came under fire in Rafah while driving to the European Hospital in southern Gaza.

The army claimed that it was not aware of the movement of the UN vehicle.

It added that it was not able to confirm if Israeli forces had fired at the UN vehicle, saying the incident was under review.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned all attacks on UN personnel and called for a full investigation into the incident.

"The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of a United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS) staff member and injury to another DSS staffer when their UN vehicle was struck as they traveled to the European Hospital in Rafah this morning," UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said at a news conference.

Since Oct. 7, when Israel launched a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, at least 171 UN staff have been killed, according to figures from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip following Palestinian resistance group Hamas' cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people.

Nearly 35,180 Palestinians, most of them women and children, have since been killed, and over 79,000 others injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

More than seven months into the conflict, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January said it is "plausible" that Tel Aviv is committing genocide in Gaza, ordering it to stop such acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar