UNRWA chief says over 300 staff members killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza

More than 300 staff members of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 2023, the agency's chief said on Sunday.

“Today, that death toll has surpassed the gruesome milestone of 300,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on X.

“The vast majority of staff were killed by the Israeli Army with their children & loved ones: whole families wiped out.”

Lazzarini said most of the dead UNRWA staff were health workers and teachers.

“Several were killed in the line of duty while serving their communities,” he added.

“Nothing justifies these killings,” Lazzarini said. “Impunity will lead to more killing. Those responsible must be held accountable.”

Established in 1949, UNRWA has served as a critical lifeline for Palestinian refugees, supporting nearly 5.9 million people across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

Nearly 2.4 million people in Gaza live completely dependent on humanitarian aid, according to World Bank data.

Since March 2, Israel has kept Gaza crossings closed to food, medical, and humanitarian aid, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis in the enclave, according to government, human rights, and international reports.

The Israeli army has continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, killing more than 53,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.