UN and US Unite to Condemn Tank Attacks on Palestinian Refugee Shelters in Gaza

Israeli military land operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - Israel blamed Hamas when an attack on a Palestinian refugee accommodation complex in Gaza caused mass casualties, drawing condemnation from the UN and its traditional ally, the United States.

According to the UN, the attack hit a vocational training center hosting 30,000 refugees in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.

"There were many casualties, several buildings were on fire and there were reports of casualties. Many people tried to flee the scene, but were unable to do so," said UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian Territory James McGoldrick, reported by Reuters, January 25.

Meanwhile Thomas White, director of Gaza Affairs for the UN agency UNRWA, said two tank shells hit one of the center's buildings, where around 800 refugees were taking shelter.

At least nine people were killed and 75 injured. Meanwhile, the head of the agency, Philippe Lazzarini, said the death toll may be higher.

"The complex is a clearly marked UN facility and its coordinates were shared with the Israeli Government as we do with all our facilities. Once again, this is a disregard for the basic rules of war," Lazzarini criticized.

In Washington, US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said: "We regret today's attack on the UN's Khan Younis training center."

"Civilians must be protected, and the nature of the protection of UN facilities must be respected, humanitarian workers must be protected, so that they can continue to provide the humanitarian assistance they need to save civilian lives," explained Patel.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military initially issued a statement describing the Khan Younis area as a base for Hamas fighters, admitting fighting took place near a large number of civilians.

In a second statement sent after Washington's condemnation, the military said checks of its operational systems ruled out that its forces had attacked the center.

It is known that Israeli forces have launched their biggest ground offensive in at least a month, encircling Khan Younis where hundreds of thousands of people who fled fighting elsewhere in Gaza live.

Most of Gaza's 2.3 million residents now live in Khan Younis and towns to its north and south. Palestinian officials say Israel has closed and surrounded the city's main hospitals, making it impossible for rescue teams to reach the many wounded and dead.

On the other hand, Israel says Hamas has "command and control centers, Hamas outposts, and Hamas security headquarters in the region.

Meanwhile, Palestinian health officials say at least 25,700 people have died in Gaza since the Hamas-Israel conflict broke out on October 7, including 210 people who died in the previous 24 hours.

Israel launched its offensive to wipe out Hamas after fighters stormed Israeli cities on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 240 hostages.