Griffiths regrets the death of a foreign UN worker in Rafá and demands that the parties take “all precautions”

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May 14. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The head of Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations, Martin Griffiths, has expressed his sadness at the death on Monday of a foreign UN worker, victim of an attack on the vehicle in which he was traveling in Rafá, and has called on the parties in conflict to take “all possible precautions”.

“The parties must take all possible precautions to protect civilians, including UN staff and humanitarian workers,” Griffiths said in a brief statement in which he alluded to both the Israeli Army and the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas).

“Once again, devastating news: A UN colleague has been killed and another injured in Gaza. They were on their way to the European Hospital in Rafah yesterday when their vehicle was attacked. We deeply mourn this loss,” Griffiths added on his profile. official of the social network X, formerly known as Twitter.

According to information from the office of the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, this is the first foreign worker of the organization to die since the beginning of the Israeli offensive after the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in almost 1,200 dead and 240 hostages.

The Israeli Army reported this Tuesday that it is already investigating the incident and has specified that the vehicle in which the worker was traveling was hit “in an area defined as an active combat zone.” Likewise, he has indicated that the route was not known beforehand and has declined to confirm who opened fire.

Israel has increased its bombings against Rafah in recent weeks and on May 7 it took control of the Palestinian side of the border crossing, suspending humanitarian operations, which has increased international concern about the deepening humanitarian crisis in the area. enclave.

The authorities of the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas, estimated this Tuesday at around 35,200 Palestinians killed as a result of the Israeli Army’s offensive against the enclave triggered in response to attacks by Palestinian militias in early October.