Israel’s attacks on UN schools in Gaza 'unacceptable': UN

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The UN on Monday reiterated concern over Israel’s attacks on two schools in Gaza, and said it was "unacceptable."

"The coordinates of the schools have been communicated. The schools didn't pop up overnight. They've been there for a long, long time. It is unacceptable that people seeking shelter under the UN flag be then confronted with these types of bombings," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told a daily press briefing in New York.

The UN has repeatedly called for combatants not to use the UN facilities, and fire to or near the facilities, added Dujarric.

"I have no doubt there will be full investigations done in order to have accountability once this conflict is over," he said, adding the only focus now in Gaza is the humanitarian situation.

When he was asked whether these schools have Hamas bases or weapons, Dujarric said the schools are there to shelter civilians, adding: "They're not there to shelter combatants."

Following Saturday's Israeli attack on two UNRWA schools in Gaza, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday said he was "deeply shocked," reaffirming that UN premises are "inviolable".

- Only 'civilians in hospital'

Joining the briefing via video conference from Gaza, Rob Holden, senior emergency officer of the World Health Organization (WHO), said Al-Shifa Hospital does not take additional patients.

When asked by Anadolu if is there any evidence that Al-Shifa Hospital is being used as a military headquarters by Hamas as Israel claims, Holden said their only focus was patients, doctors, and nurses.

"We only saw civilians in the hospital and that's all we were focused on," he said. "We saw no evidence other than our focus being on those patients. We didn't there go there to investigate or assess anything else."

Mike Ryan, the executive director of WHO Health Emergencies Programme, speaking from Geneva, said the primary health care system situation in Gaza is "catastrophic."

Ryan raised concern over possible push to the people to move to the west of Gaza, saying: "We're going to see a further concentration of people onto the West coast with an approaching winter with no shelter, with no facilities close by to them.

"And we're going to see a further tragedy emerge, particularly with the public health crisis that will emanate from that situation," he added.

Israel launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 13,300 Palestinians have since been killed, including over 9,000 women and children, and more than 30,000 others injured, according to the latest figures.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s relentless air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave.

The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.