Indian UN Staffer killed in Gaza's Rafah: Secretary General calls for investigation

New Delhi, May 14: An Indian serving with the United Nations was killed in Gaza's Rafah when the vehicle he was travelling in reportedly came under attack. The news was reported by the Press Trust of India, citing sources. This marks the first international casualty for the United Nations in the ongoing Gaza conflict. Another UN staffer was injured in the attack as they travelled to the European Hospital in Rafah.

The identity of the deceased has not yet been disclosed, but sources confirmed he was a former Indian Army personnel working with the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS), PTI news agency said.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, expressed deep sorrow over the incident and condemned all attacks on UN personnel. "With the conflict in Gaza continuing to take a heavy toll – not only on civilians but also on humanitarian workers – the Secretary-General reiterates his urgent appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of all hostages," said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, during a press briefing in New York.

Haq added that the UN was still gathering information about the incident and later confirmed that the security personnel killed was an international staff member, marking a significant loss for the UN in the Gaza conflict.

Additionally, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported another staff member killed in the conflict. The 53-year-old senior projects officer died in an Israeli strike in Deir Al Balah, after leaving Rafah, bringing the total number of UNRWA personnel killed to 188.

In his statement, Secretary-General Guterres called for a thorough investigation into the attack and sent his condolences to the family of the deceased staff member. "The Secretary-General condemns all attacks on UN personnel and calls for a full investigation," Haq emphasized.

When asked about the identity of the UN staffer killed, Haq responded, "At this point, we are in the process of informing the relevant governments and the family members, so I wouldn’t share any names or nationalities."

The incident occurred while the workers were travelling in a UN vehicle to the European Hospital in Rafah. The Israeli military stated that an initial inquiry indicated the vehicle was struck in an active combat zone, and it had not been informed of the vehicle's route. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed they had received a report from the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) about the incident and were reviewing it.

Earlier on Monday, before the announcement of the incident in Rafah, Secretary-General Guterres noted that more than 190 UN staff had been killed in Gaza since the conflict began. According to the Gaza health ministry, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 35,090 people.