US condemns shelling of UN shelter in Gaza

WASHINGTON D.C. 

The United States has condemned the shelling of a school in Gaza, which resulted in 15 civilian deaths, while refraining from assigning blame for the attack.

The artillery strike on Jabalia Elementary Girls School, which was serving as a United Nations Relief and Works Agency shelter for displaced Palestinians, injured dozens.

Deputy National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said on Wednesday: “The United States condemns the shelling of a UNRWA school in Gaza, which reportedly killed and injured innocent Palestinians - including children - and UN humanitarian workers."

"We are extremely concerned that thousands of internally displaced Palestinians who have been called on by the Israeli military to evacuate their homes are not safe in UN designated shelters in Gaza."

Meehan also condemned those responsible for hiding weapons in UN facilities.

Initial assessments by the UN’s relief agency placed the number of those in the school at the time of the attack at 3,300.

The U.S. statement is the strongest yet issued during the violence in Gaza but it did not apportion blame for the attack.

Palestinian officials, however, have placed blame squarely on Israel.

Marie Harf, the deputy State Department spokeswoman said “nothing justifies” the killing of innocent civilians who were seeking shelter. She added that all parties should respect the UN’s neutrality. 

She said: “Tens of thousands of Palestinians could soon be stranded in the streets of Gaza without food, without water, without shelter if attacks on these areas continue, and that’s why it is so important to respect the UN’s neutrality here when there are innocent civilians taking refuge in these schools.”

More than 182,600 people have sought refuge in 82 designated emergency shelters in all five areas of Gaza, the UN said.

www.aa.com.tr/en