A UN guesthouse in Deir al-Balah, where staff were staying, was hit by an attack, resulting in one death and several injuries. BBC
Israel's military has admitted that its troops killed a United Nations (UN) worker in the Gaza Strip last month, after initially denying responsibility for the death. The tragic incident took place on March 19 when a UN compound in Deir al-Balah was damaged by tank fire. At the time, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed it had not struck the site, but new findings show otherwise.
The IDF said it had made a mistake in identifying the building. They thought it housed an "enemy presence," leading to the attack. The military released a statement explaining, "The building was struck due to assessed enemy presence and was not identified by the forces as a UN facility." They confirmed that the preliminary findings of their investigation pointed to the IDF’s responsibility for the incident. The IDF has promised to share the full results of the investigation with the UN.
The UN worker killed in the attack was Marin Valev Marinov, a Bulgarian national. The blast also seriously injured five other UN personnel. The tragic incident occurred just a day after Israel resumed its offensive against Hamas, following the breakdown of a two-month ceasefire.
In the wake of the attack, UN Secretary General António Guterres called for a full investigation. He reminded that international law requires all parties involved in the conflict to protect UN facilities. A spokesperson for the UN stressed that the location of every UN facility is known to the conflict's parties, and they must ensure these sites remain safe.
The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) later confirmed that "explosive ordnance was dropped or fired" at the guesthouse, which was in an isolated area. Jorge Moreira da Silva, the executive director of UNOPS, said it was "not an accident."
Initially, the IDF denied involvement, stating, "Contrary to reports, the IDF did not strike a UN compound in Deir el-Balah." They urged the media to be cautious about unverified reports. However, footage later verified by international sources showed two injured UN workers, wearing blue UN flak jackets, being rushed to a hospital.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of troubling violence in Gaza. The IDF has also admitted to "professional failures" that led to the deaths of 15 emergency workers in another incident last month. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, at least 1,978 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel resumed its offensive. At least 50 of these were reportedly killed in Israeli airstrikes on Thursday.
In addition to military attacks, Israel has blocked all humanitarian aid to Gaza for over seven weeks. The UN has expressed concern, stating that this blockade is making it harder for civilians to survive and is severely affecting daily life in Gaza.
The ongoing conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s response has focused on dismantling Hamas, and more than 51,300 people have died in Gaza since the conflict began.
