An Indian personnel working with the United Nations was killed in Gaza after his vehicle was targeted in an attack in Rafah, the first casualty for the organization since the start of Israel-Hamas conflict.
The deceased, whose identity has not been revealed, was a staff member of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS).
However, according to sources cited by news agency PTI, the victim was from India and a former Indian Army personnel.
Another DSS staffer was injured in the incident when their UN vehicle was struck as they travelled to the European Hospital in Rafah.
“Indian personnel working with United Nations killed in Gaza after his vehicle comes under attack in Rafah, making it “first international” casualty for UN since the start of Israel-Hamas conflict,” PTI quoted official as saying.
“The secretary-general was deeply saddened to learn of the death of a United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS) staff member and injury to another DSS staffer when their UN vehicle was struck as they travelled to the European Hospital in Rafah this morning,” Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN secretary-general said on Monday.
“The secretary-general condemns all attacks on UN personnel and calls for a full investigation,” the statement added.
UN secretary-general António Guterres also expressed his condolences and condemnation of the attack, highlighting the urgent need to protect humanitarian workers.
“Today a UN vehicle was struck in Gaza, killing one of our colleagues & injuring another. More than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza. Humanitarian workers must be protected,” Guterres said in an X post on Monday, without mentioning the nationality of the deceased.
India's permanent representative to the United Nations, Ruchira Kamboj condemned the deaths in Israel-Hamas conflict.
“The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has led to a large-scale loss of civilian lives, especially women and children. The resulting humanitarian crisis is simply unacceptable. We have strongly condemned the deaths of civilians in the conflict. International law and international humanitarian law must be respected by everyone under all circumstances,” Kamboj said at the 10th Emergency Special session of the UN General Assembly on Palestine.
