Nine employees of the United Nations (UN) have lost their lives in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza since the start of the bombardment on Saturday, according to a statement from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The casualties include six UNRWA staff members and three contractors, with three teachers also injured.
UNRWA schools throughout the Gaza Strip, including the Rehabilitation Centre for the Visually Impaired and two vocational centers in Gaza and Khan Younis, remain closed. In total, the airstrikes have affected 20 installations since the start of the conflict on October 7.
The Israeli military launched a significant campaign against the Gaza Strip in response to a military offensive by Hamas in Israeli territories. The conflict erupted after Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multifaceted attack involving rocket launches and infiltrations into Israel, citing retaliation for events at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
Israel’s response, known as Operation Swords of Iron, targeted Hamas within Gaza and included cutting off water and electricity supplies to the region, exacerbating the dire living conditions in an area under a crippling siege since 2007. The conflict has resulted in a significant loss of life, with over 1,900 casualties, including at least 900 Palestinians and 1,000 Israelis.
