UN staff in Gaza fear targeting after deadly Israeli strike on shelter

A senior United Nations official revealed Saturday that fear and anxiety have gripped UN staff in Gaza following an Israeli airstrike on a school-turned-shelter, which resulted in significant casualties.

The attack on the UN-run Al-Jawni School in central Gaza, which was housing displaced Palestinians, claimed 18 lives, including six UN employees. This incident has been labeled the deadliest for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in over 11 months of ongoing conflict.

“One colleague said that they’re not wearing the UNRWA vest anymore because they feel that that turns them into a target,” Sam Rose, UNRWA senior deputy director, told AFP. Rose described how staff members were gathering for a meal in a classroom when the strike hit, turning the building into a pile of rubble.

The Israeli military defended the strike as a “precise operation” targeting Hamas militants believed to be on the school grounds. They provided a list of nine individuals killed, including three they claimed were UNRWA employees, and argued that the school had become a “legitimate target” due to its use by Hamas.

However, these claims have further demoralized UN staff in Gaza. Rose reported that staff members are deeply troubled by allegations that their colleagues were involved in extremist activities, viewing these statements as a dishonor to their fallen friends.

The violence in Gaza, which escalated following a major Hamas attack on October 7, has resulted in substantial casualties on both sides. UNRWA, which employs over 30,000 people across the Palestinian territories, has now lost at least 220 staff members in the conflict. The agency is also facing criticism and scrutiny following accusations against some of its employees, leading to their dismissal and ongoing investigations into neutrality issues.