UN mourns record death toll of 100 employees killed in Gaza

More than 100 United Nations employees have been killed in Israel's war on Gaza, the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) said on Friday, making it the deadliest conflict ever for the UN in such a short period of time.

Some were killed queuing for bread; others died along with their families in their homes, UNRWA told Reuters, amid Israel's brutal and indiscriminate aerial and ground war in densely populated Gaza, which began after a Hamas attack on Israel continued

Devastated. Over 100 UNRWA colleagues confirmed killed in 1 month. Parents, teachers, nurses, doctors, support staff. UNRWA is mourning, Palestinians mourning, Israelis mourning," Philippe Lazzarini said on social media platform X. The agency later said it was mourning 101 colleagues.

"They represent what is happening to the people of Gaza. They happen to work for the UN," said Juliette Touma, Director of Communications at UNRWA. "They and every other civilian in the Gaza Strip...should never have been killed."

Israel has killed over 11,000 civilians in Gaza since October 7, mostly women, children and the elderly. 1,400 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack on Israel, with around 240 taken hostage.

Devastated. Over 100 @UNRWA colleagues confirmed killed in 1 month.

Parents, teachers, nurses, doctors, support staff. @UNRWA is mourning, Palestinians mourning, Israelis mourning. Ending this tragedy needs #Humanitarianceasefire now.

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) November 10, 2023

UN staff around the world will observe a minute of silence and flags will fly at half mast on Monday, the global body said.

Besides Gaza, the next most deadly conflicts for UN aid workers was Nigeria in 2011 when a suicide bomber attacked its Abuja office, killing 46.

The ongoing South Sudan conflict has also killed 33 UN staff, and another 33 were killed in Afghanistan in 2009, according to the Aid Worker Security Database, a US-funded platform that compiles reports on major security incidents affecting aid workers.

In addition, seven other non-UN Palestinian aid workers have been killed in Gaza, the database showed.

Gaza death toll exceeds 11,000

The health ministry in #Gaza has issued an update on the number of Palestinians killed in Israel’s ongoing bombardments since 7 Oct

It now stands at 11,078 - of which 4,506 are kids

27,490 others injured

🔴Live updates: https://t.co/mQSF6SKUCW pic.twitter.com/ReYvNxbUpC

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) November 10, 2023

Aid workers enjoy protection under international humanitarian law but experts cite few precedents for such cases going to trial, with concerns about ensuring future access for aid groups and difficulty proving intent cited as impediments.

Established in 1949 following the mass displacement of Palestinians from their land by Israel during the Nakba, UNRWA provides public services including schools, healthcare and aid.

Many of UNRWA's 5,000 staff working in Gaza are Palestinian refugees themselves.

Under UN staff rules, employees are due compensation in the case of death, including some funeral costs and an annual pay-out for families.

But UNRWA, which had financial problems even before the current crisis, says it is not even sure it can pay staff salaries until year-end.