Israel has ordered thousands of Palestinians from the southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, with no where else for them to go, and reportedly bombed UN shelters in the region killing many. The move has been condemned largely by US, EU and WHO.
Responding to the attack, Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) said that Khan Younis is a vocational training centre and one of the largest UNRWA facilities that shelter 30,000 displaces people. “The compound is a clearly marked @UN facility & its coordinates were shared with Israeli Authorities as we do for all our facilities. Once again a blatant disregard of basic rules of war”.
Another horrific day in #Gaza. The number of those killed is likely higher.#KhanYounis vocational training centre is one of the largest @UNRWA facilities sheltering nearly 30,000 displaced people.
The compound is a clearly marked @UN facility & its coordinates were shared with… https://t.co/XZwK09ondV
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) January 24, 2024
European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic said he strongly condemned the Israeli attack on Khan Younis. He said the UNRWA shelter “distributes critical (EU) funded aid to displaced Palestinians. I strongly condemn this attack”. He said, civilians and humanitarian staff are ‘not a target’.
.@UNRWA shelter in Khan Younis in #Gaza has been hit by Israeli strikes. Next to providing safety, the shelter distributes critical 🇪🇺 funded aid to displaced Palestinians.
I strongly condemn this attack. Civilians and humanitarian staff are #NotATarget.
— Janez Lenarčič (@JanezLenarcic) January 24, 2024
World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Ghebreyesus called the Israeli actions of heavy bombardment and evacuation orders “horrendous”. He said, ““The ongoing heavy bombardment, evacuation orders and killing of civilians in Khan Younis, #Gaza is just horrendous. @WHO team joined an @UNRWA mission to help those who were injured in today’s blast at the training centre where civilians were sheltering. Our deep condolences to the families who lost loved ones.”
The ongoing heavy bombardment, evacuation orders and killing of civilians in Khan Younis, #Gaza is just horrendous.@WHO team joined an @UNRWA mission to help those who were injured in today’s blast at the training centre where civilians were sheltering. Our deep condolences to… https://t.co/diWx3NyJiw
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 24, 2024
Foreign Ministry of Jordan condemned the Israeli attack on the UN shelter in strongest term. The statement released on its official X (formerly twitter) page read, Jordan “condemns in the strongest terms the targeting by the Israeli occupation forces of one of the shelter facilities of the UN Agency for the Relief and Works of Palestine where displaced residents of the Gaza sector are seeking refuge to escape the deliberate and continuous targeting of their homes.”
دانت #وزارة_الخارجية_وشؤون_المغتربين بأشد العبارات استهداف قوات الاحتلال الإسرائيلي لأحد منشآت الإيواء التابعة لوكالة #الأمم_المتحدة لإغاثة وتشغيل اللاجئين الفلسطينيين #الأنروا في #خان_يونس والتي يلتجئ إليها النازحون من الأهالي في قطاع #غزة هرباً من الاستهداف المتعمد والمتواصل… pic.twitter.com/LTJLOp5ZK4
— وزارة الخارجية وشؤون المغتربين الأردنية (@ForeignMinistry) January 24, 2024
US Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said that the “protected nature of the UN facilities must be protected”. He said the State Department “deplore” the attack on Khan Younis training centre.
United States National Security Council spokesperson, Adrienne Watson said US is “concerned by reports today of strikes hitting a UN Relief and Works Agency facility – with subsequent reports of fires in the building”.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of State of Palestine said it “condemns the brutal Israeli bombing of the UNRWA shelters” in Khan Younis.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates// condemns the brutal #Israeli bombing of the @UNRWA #shelter center in Khan Yunis.#Gaza_under_attack#CeasefireNow#Palestine#Israeliwarcrimes pic.twitter.com/FN3LLlVIZ9
— State of Palestine – MFA 🇵🇸🇵🇸 (@pmofa) January 24, 2024