In one strike, ‘Israel’ kills UN aid worker, 70 of his extended family

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Dec 2023 09:14
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An urgent appeal for the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers follows the killing of UNDP's Issam al-Mughrabi, his family, and numerous relatives in an Israeli airstrike.

A UN volunteer at al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip amid the Israeli genocide on Gaza on November 6 (AFP/Getty Images)

An Israeli military airstrike resulted in the killing of over 70 members of an extended family, which included a long-time UN aid worker named Issam al-Mughrabi, along with his wife, five children, and numerous other relatives.

The massacre occurred near Gaza City, prompting the head of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to issue a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire due to the high civilian toll in Gaza and the destruction hindering the delivery of crucial aid.

“The loss of Issam and his family has deeply affected us all,” UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said. “The UN and civilians in Gaza are not a target. This war must end. No more families should endure the pain and suffering that Issam’s family and countless others are experiencing.”

Unprecendeted toll in the history of the UN

On average, one or two UN employees have been killed in Gaza each day of the Israeli aggression – totaling more than 130. That toll is “unprecedented in the history of the United Nations,” said its Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres.

Following the UN Security Council's approval of a resolution urging a significant boost in aid deliveries, Guterres cautioned that facilitating more supplies across the border into Gaza is merely the initial stage in averting the imminent risk of famine and deadly epidemics.

“Many people are measuring the effectiveness of the humanitarian operation in Gaza based on the number of trucks from the Egyptian Red Crescent, the UN and our partners that are allowed to unload aid across the border,” Guterres said. “This is a mistake.”

Ensuring the effective distribution of aid within Gaza is equally crucial, and how "Israel" is conducting the war is "creating significant impediments" to delivering assistance to hundreds of thousands of people in dire need, Guterres emphasized.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he noted that a successful aid operation in Gaza necessitates security, staff working in a safe environment, logistical capabilities, and the resumption of commercial activity—all of which are currently lacking.

Insufficient lorries and fuel, along with bombed or blocked roads due to rubble or unexploded munitions, have compounded the logistical challenges. Security conditions are deteriorating amid increasing hunger and desperation.

UN staff are grappling with power and communication disruptions, navigating through mass displacement, and coping with the loss of relatives, colleagues, and friends.

Guterres outlined logistical issues, including a basic problem of vehicle capacity. Each aid pallet arriving at the border must be unloaded, and the cargo needs to be reloaded into different lorries within Gaza for distribution.

“We ourselves have a limited and insufficient number of trucks available for this,” Guterres said.

“Many of our vehicles and trucks were destroyed or left behind following our forced, hurried evacuation from the north, but the Israeli authorities have not allowed any additional trucks to operate in Gaza. This is massively hampering the aid operation," he added.

“Delivering in the north is extremely dangerous due to active conflict, unexploded ordnance, and heavily damaged roads. Everywhere, frequent communications blackouts make it virtually impossible to coordinate the distribution of aid and to let people know how to access it,” the UN Secretary-General cautioned.

Guterres emphasized that a humanitarian ceasefire is the sole means to deliver significant amounts of aid that could start addressing the urgent needs of the people in Gaza.

On Friday, the UN Security Council refrained from calling for a ceasefire after the US announced its intention to veto any resolution advocating for such during an extended week of negotiations.

The Israeli genocide is ongoing

"Israel" has forcibly displaced civilians in northern Gaza since the commencement of its ground invasion in October. However, not everyone can relocate, and even areas deemed "safe" in the south face heavy bombardments. Faced with overcrowded and under-supplied shelters, some families have been forced to endure the aggression in their homes.

“Where should we go to? There is no place safe,” Ziad, a medic and father of six, expressed this sentiment during a phone call with Reuters. “They ask people to head to [the central Gaza city of] Deir al-Balah, where they bomb day and night.”

Due to the escalating impact of Israeli airstrikes and the total blockade, a growing number of internal refugees in Gaza were forced to travel on foot or in donkey carts. The majority of Gaza's population has experienced displacement, often multiple times.

"Israel" has conducted extensive bombing campaigns across Gaza, targeting various locations, including hospitals, UN schools, bakeries, residential buildings, mosques, and churches. The widespread and indiscriminate nature of these airstrikes has raised concerns about civilian casualties and the impact on essential infrastructure in the region.

The death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has already risen to 20,258, according to Gaza's Health Ministry on Telegram Saturday, reporting an additional 53,688 people injured.