The United Nations on Wednesday called for an investigation into a strike on two UN guest houses in Gaza that killed one of its workers and injured five others.
"The Secretary General strongly condemns all attacks on UN personnel and calls for a full investigation," Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq said at a news conference. "He underscores that all conflicts must be conducted in a way that ensures civilians are respected and protected."
Haq said it's too early to determine who is responsible for dropping or firing the explosive ordinance at the accommodation sites housing the workers.
The UN said it had contacted the Israeli military after the first strike and confirmed that the military was aware of the facility’s location. Israel denies targeting the UN compound.
The UN Secretary-General condemned attacks on UN personnel and added in a statement from his spokesperson that all parties in Israel's attack on Gaza knew where the UN's premises were based.
"The Secretary-General was deeply saddened and shocked to learn of the death of a United Nations Office for Project Services staff member, when two UN guesthouses in Deir al-Balah were hit in strikes," a spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote.
"The locations of all UN premises are known to the parties to the conflict, who are bound by international law to protect them and maintain their absolute inviolability," the statement continued.
"The Secretary-General sends his deepest condolences to the family of the staff member killed," he said, adding that at least 280 UN staff had been killed in Gaza since Oct 7, 2023.
Palestinians living close to the UN building said the facility had been struck multiple times by tank shelling in recent days.
Naief al-Lahham said the building was hit by tank shelling Tuesday evening, but it didn’t result in casualties.
On Wednesday morning, he heard two explosions minutes apart, he told the AP, adding that the attack came from an Israeli position just east of the building.
The explosion shook al-Lahham’s house, damaging its windows. He said he was lightly injured by pieces of glass.
