By Ikram Kouachi
ANKARA (AA) – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said that many people were killed and injured as a result of the bombing of the UN compound in Gaza last night.
In a statement on Saturday, the UNDP said it is “deeply distressed by preliminary reports of the shelling of the United Nations compound in Gaza City, which UNDP’s Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People managed until 13 October when UN staff vacated the premises.”
It stated that “the shelling has reportedly resulted in a significant number of deaths and injuries.”
On Nov. 6, UNDP reported that “several hundred people seeking refuge had entered the compound, and there are indications that this number has since increased significantly.”
“The ongoing tragedy of death and injury to civilians ensnared in this conflict is unacceptable and must stop,” the UNDP added.
The program stressed that “civilians, civilian infrastructure, and the inviolability of UN facilities, must be respected and protected at all times.”
It also emphasized that “international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution, must be respected and upheld.”
Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip – including hospitals, residences, and houses of worship – since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7.
At least 11,100 Palestinians have been killed, including 4,506 children and 3,027 women.
The Israeli death toll is around 1,200, according to official figures.