UPDATE 4 - European countries, UN agencies react to 'appalling' killing of 6 UNRWA workers in Gaza

By Anadolu Staff

LONDON/ANKARA (AA) - European countries and UN agencies expressed outrage Thursday about the killing of six staff members from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in an Israeli attack on a school in the Gaza Strip.

At least 18 people were killed Wednesday in two strikes on the al-Jaouni School, where 12,000 displaced civilians sheltered in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to health authorities.

The six UNRWA staffers were among the victims, including the manager of the UN agency’s shelter in the area.

Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris expressed sorrow for the attack as he noted that more than 220 UNRWA staffers have been killed in Gaza since last October.

He said shots were fired at a UN convoy distributing polio vaccines in Gaza earlier this week.

"We must never allow this to be normalised or take for granted the risks humanitarian workers take with their own lives to help others," said Harris.

He reiterated his demand for an immediate cease-fire, the release of all hostages and unimpeded access to aid in Gaza.

"We must also ensure accountability for those who perpetrate war crimes," he added.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that the attack was "appalling."

"Aid workers must be able to do their jobs safely. We need a ceasefire and hostage release deal now," he wrote on X.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell noted on X that Israel hit "for the 5th time" a school in Nuseirat, sheltering displaced people.

He stressed that the “disregard of the basic principles” of international humanitarian law, “especially protection of civilians, cannot & should not be accepted” by the international community.

The French Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned an Israeli airstrike that targeted a school and killed several victims in the Gaza Strip, including the six UN staffers.

“France reiterates its call for the release of all hostages, and given the humanitarian emergency in Gaza, for an immediate and durable cease-fire in order to allow the protection of civilian populations and massive and unhindered access to humanitarian aid,” the ministry said in a statement.

It also stressed Israel’s obligation to “ensure the protection of humanitarian workers and UN staffers.”

The German Foreign Ministry also wrote on X: “Humanitarian aid workers must never be victims of rockets."

"The death of six @UNRWA staff at a school in #Nuseirat is totally unacceptable,” the statement stressed.

“@UNRWA is providing vital aid in #Gaza and has a UN mandate to do so,” it said, adding: "Israel’s army has a responsibility to protect UN staff and aid workers."

- 'This is absolutely unacceptable and must stop'

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the attack as “indeed, terribly tragic.”

"No words can reflect the true horror and loss of life in #Gaza," he lamented.

"Hospitals, schools and shelters have been repeatedly bombarded, resulting in deaths of civilians and humanitarians,” he said. “Our hearts go out to @UNRWA colleagues.

"We grieve the loss of another six colleagues," he added, as he demanded a cease-fire for "the carnage in Gaza" to stop.

Separately, World Food Program (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain expressed outrage on X, stating that her agency is "devastated" by the loss of six UNRWA employees by Israel.

"This is absolutely unacceptable and must stop," she said, emphasizing that "humanitarians must be protected."

"They are #NotATarget," the official emphasized.

Israel has systematically targeted civilian facilities, including schools, hospitals and places of worship, amid its ongoing offensive on Gaza.

Israel has continued its brutal offensive on Gaza since a Hamas attack last October despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

More than 41,100 people, mostly women and children, have since been killed and over 95,100 injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel faces accusations of genocide for its actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice.​​​​​​​