UN chief condemns civilian casualties in 'intensifying Israeli campaign in northern Gaza'

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The UN on Monday condemned the high number of civilian casualties in northern Gaza, including an Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering displaced Palestinian civilians.

"UN Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres) condemns large number of civilian casualties in the intensifying Israeli campaign in northern Gaza, including schools displacing shelter Palestinian civilians," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

The spokesperson also said, "We are aware of very disturbing reports by an Israeli attack on the grounds of a hospital complex in central Gaza".

The UN chief "strongly urges" all parties to the conflict to comply with international humanitarian law and emphasizes that civilians must be respected and protected at all times, he said.

Four people were killed and 40 other injured when Israeli warplanes hit a hospital courtyard in the central city of Deir al-Balah, burning 30 tents where people were sleeping on early Monday.

It followed the death of 22 people, including 15 children, in another airstrike on a UNRWA school sheltering displaced civilians in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.

Images of people trapped in the flames have flooded social media.

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, which killed nearly 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures.

More than 42,200 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 98,400 injured, according to Gaza health authorities.