More than 310 UNRWA staff killed in Gaza, agency's chief says

​​​​​​​WASHINGTON

More than 310 staff from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the agency’s chief said Wednesday.

"UNRWA teams are not a target," Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement.

Lazzarini noted one staffer identified only as Kamal, whose body was discovered March 30 near a mass grave, alongside the remains of Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) humanitarian workers killed by Israel.

"Kamal was killed through one or multiple blows to the back of his skull. He was then buried next to the other PRCS team members.

"Despite several requests from UNRWA to the Government of Israel, no response was directly received on Kamal’s death," he added.

Stressing that Kamal worked with UNRWA for over 20 years, Lazzarini said he is "one case too many."

"Impunity opens the door to more atrocities.

"We call for independent investigations into Kamal’s killing and all other UNRWA staff killed," he added.

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

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

Israeli forces have continuously been targeting UNRWA aid facilities and staff in the besieged enclave.

The Israeli army, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a brutal offensive against Gaza since October 2023, killing more than 54,000 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.