UN Launches Investigation Of Attack That Killed A Staff In Rafah

Convoys of UN vehicles in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) formed a fact-finding panel to investigate an attack that killed a staff member and injured another in Rafah, southern Gaza.

A vehicle with the UN emblem was targeted by Monday's attack, sparking strong criticism from international leaders.

That left a UN staff member from India dead and another Jordanian staff member injured. An initial assessment showed the fatal shot allegedly came from a tank in a neighborhood, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said.

"PBB believes gunfire from Israeli tanks hit the back of a UN white vehicle on its way to a European hospital in Rafah City in southern Gaza," Haq said, quoted by AP and The Times of Israel.

He told reporters of the UN Department of Safety and Security, who employed the two staff, had formed fact-finding panels to determine the cause of the incident, as well as the United Nations in discussions with Israeli authorities.

Haq identified a member of the UN staff who was killed as Waibhav Anil Kale. He was the first international employee at the United Nations to be killed in the war in Gaza today.

Meanwhile, Jordan's Foreign Ministry identified the injured UN staff as the Yara Dababneh. A Jordanian military plane is scheduled to fly it from Jerusalem to Amman for treatment at Al-Hussein Medical City, a military medical complex.

"He received medical treatment," said Haq.

"We believe he will make it through," he continued.

Previously, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his posts on social media condemned the incident, reiterating that humanitarian work must be protected.

"Today the UN vehicle was shot in Gaza, killing one of our colleagues and injuring another. More than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza," the UN Secretary-General tweeted on social media X.

"I condemn all attacks on UN personnel and repeat my urgent call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of all hostages," Guterres continued.

Meanwhile, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had received a report on the incident in Rafah and was conducting a review.

According to the IDF, preliminary reviews showed the vehicle was shot "in the middle of fighting in areas designated as active combat zones."

The military also said the vehicle route was unknown, while the IDF usually knew the movement of aid workers in Gaza to avoid such incidents. However, the IDF did not confirm its troops opened fire on the vehicle.

"All details of the incident are being reviewed," the Israeli military said.

It said there were about 71 international staff stationed in Gaza. Meanwhile, at least 254 UN aid workers have been killed since October, according to the agency.