UN Reduces Gaza Presence After Deadly Israeli Strike \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The United Nations is reducing its international staff presence in Gaza after an Israeli tank strike killed one staffer and injured five others. Israel denies responsibility as Gaza faces intensified bombardments, killing dozens of Palestinians. Humanitarian efforts and medical services are severely strained.
UN Gaza Reduction Quick Looks
- UN reduces presence in Gaza after deadly tank strike.
- Bulgarian UN staffer killed, five others injured in compound blast.
- UN Secretary-General’s office points to Israeli tank as cause.
- Israel denies involvement despite UN confirmation and location awareness.
- Ongoing Israeli strikes kill over 60 Palestinians in 24 hours.
- Gaza’s Health Ministry reports more than 15,000 child deaths.
- UN maintains 13,000 national staff, primarily with UNRWA.
- Humanitarian activities suspended due to security risks and evacuations.
- Red Cross office in Rafah damaged by projectile; operations impacted.
- Medical workers in Gaza targeted; hospital strike kills two, including teen.
- Israel claims Hamas operative killed in hospital strike; Hamas disputes.
- Air raid sirens in Israel after missile attacks from Yemen and Gaza.
- Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Al-Quds Brigades claims Gaza rocket launch.
- Israel’s campaign has killed over 50,000 Palestinians, displaced 90%.
Deep Look
The United Nations announced Monday that it will significantly reduce its international staff presence in the Gaza Strip, following a deadly tank strike that hit one of its compounds. The blast, which occurred on March 19, killed Marin Valev Marinov, a Bulgarian national working for the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and injured five other UN staffers.
UN Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that the strike was caused by an Israeli tank, marking the first time the UN has directly attributed responsibility to Israel. Dujarric noted that the decision to temporarily remove around one-third of the UN’s 100 international staff in Gaza was made with regret, citing escalating danger as Israel resumed its military campaign, which has killed hundreds of Palestinians in the past week.
Despite this reduction, Dujarric emphasized that the UN is not abandoning Gaza, where it continues to operate with 13,000 national staff, primarily through UNRWA, the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees.
Ongoing Israeli Bombardments Intensify
The renewed Israeli offensive has wreaked havoc across Gaza. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 60 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours alone. The ministry’s latest report highlights a grim reality: over 15,000 children aged 17 and under have died since Israel’s campaign began more than 17 months ago, including nearly 5,000 children under age six and 876 infants under one year old.
Israel maintains that its military actions target Hamas militants and infrastructure, blaming Hamas for civilian deaths due to its operations within populated areas. Israel launched its campaign in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, where 1,200 people were killed, and 250 hostages were taken.
Air Raid Sirens Sound in Israel
On Monday evening, air raid sirens and explosions echoed across Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and central Israel as Israeli defense systems intercepted a missile reportedly launched from Yemen. No injuries were immediately reported, but Israeli emergency rescue teams were dispatched to assess impacted areas.
Additionally, two rockets fired from the Gaza Strip were intercepted after crossing into Israeli airspace. The Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility for the Gaza launches.
Humanitarian Workers Under Fire
The UN’s decision to reduce its presence in Gaza coincides with growing concerns for the safety of aid workers and medical personnel. On Monday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported damage to its office in Rafah after an explosive projectile hit the facility. While no injuries were reported, the damage significantly impacted ICRC’s operational capabilities in the region.
Additionally, the ICRC announced that it had lost contact with emergency medical teams from the Palestine Red Crescent Society on Sunday, raising fears for their safety. In recent weeks, multiple humanitarian workers in Gaza have been killed or injured amid escalating violence.
Hospital Strikes Raise Alarms
On Sunday, Israeli airstrikes targeted the surgical ward of Khan Younis’s Nasser Hospital, southern Gaza’s largest medical facility. The attack killed two people: a teenager recovering from surgery and Ismail Barhoum, a Hamas official Israel claimed was overseeing the group’s financial operations from the hospital. Hamas stated that Barhoum was undergoing medical treatment at the time of the strike. The Israeli military stood by its claims, asserting that Barhoum was actively engaged in directing funds to Hamas’s armed wing.
UN Compound Targeted Before Deadly Strike
The strike on the UN compound outside Deir al-Balah that killed Marinov came after a series of incidents. Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of UNOPS, revealed that in the two days preceding the fatal explosion, Israeli strikes had hit areas adjacent to the compound. Despite repeated communications with the Israeli military to confirm the compound’s coordinates, the site was still targeted.
Humanitarian Operations Severely Impacted
The full extent of the UN’s operational reduction in Gaza is still emerging, but it has already led to the suspension of vital services. According to Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN’s humanitarian office (OCHA), educational programs, water distribution, and sanitation services have been scaled back due to safety concerns and evacuation orders issued by Israel.
Cherevko stated that only 29 out of 237 temporary learning spaces have resumed activity since the collapse of the ceasefire. The movement of humanitarian aid trucks, including water distribution convoys, has also been severely hampered.
A Devastating Toll in Gaza
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign, with 113,000 wounded. Nearly 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced from their homes, living in overcrowded shelters with dwindling access to clean water, food, and medical supplies.
Israel’s stated goal remains the destruction of Hamas following the group’s devastating October 2023 attack. However, with civilian casualties mounting and humanitarian operations crippled, the international community continues to call for restraint and the protection of noncombatants.
As the UN reduces its international footprint and aid agencies struggle to maintain life-saving operations, Gaza faces a humanitarian catastrophe of unprecedented proportions — one that continues to escalate by the day.
UN Reduces Gaza
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