UN: Israel’s attacks in Gaza killed 369 aid workers since October

The United Nations reports that Israel has killed at least 369 aid workers in Gaza, warning that relentless attacks on humanitarian personnel, convoys, and facilities have severely hindered relief efforts in the besieged Palestinian territory.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in its recent report on Wednesday said that 369 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the start of Israel's military offensive on October 7, 2023, shedding light on the dire circumstances faced by civilians and aid workers alike.

OCHA's latest weekly update highlighted that among the deceased, 263 were staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), underscoring the dire challenges facing humanitarian efforts in the region.

This tragic milestone was marked following the death of a Palestinian aid worker who succumbed to injuries sustained during an Israeli airstrike on a World Food Programme (WFP) flour distribution warehouse on Sunday.

On the same day as the airstrike on the WFP warehouse, Israeli forces reportedly fired 16 bullets at a marked WFP convoy; fortunately, no injuries were reported.

"Security conditions in Gaza must urgently improve for lifesaving humanitarian assistance to continue," the WFP stressed in a statement.

This incident raises serious concerns about protecting humanitarian missions in conflict zones, despite clear international protocols designed to safeguard such operations.

UN World Food Program condemns Israel's attack on its aid convoy in war-torn Gaza

The World Food Programme (WFP) has strongly condemned the “horrifying” Israeli attack on its “clearly marked” convoy in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) has also been affected by the violence, announcing that eight of its staff members have been killed since the onset of the conflict, along with numerous incidents impacting MSF or MSF-supported medical facilities, shelters, and personnel.

In a statement, MSF expressed its frustration, stating that it has “yet to receive accountability or any admission of responsibility for the killing, maiming, or dehumanization of [its] staff and patients.”

Humanitarian operations in Gaza face severe challenges as attacks on aid workers, convoys, and facilities continue unabated, putting the safety of relief personnel at risk. Amidst this turmoil, hospitals and medical centers are not spared, with frequent bombings and direct assaults on the injured reported.

A report published last week by the UN Human Rights Office stresses that “Israel’s pattern of deadly attacks on and near hospitals in Gaza, and associated combat, pushed the healthcare system to the brink of total collapse, with catastrophic effect on Palestinians’ access to health and medical care.”

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli regime has slaughtered more than 45,936 Palestinians in Gaza. Roughly 109,274 people are also injured. A considerable number of the casualties are women and children.

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