UN envoy ‘strongly’ condemns Israel’s strike on Hamas officials in Gaza humanitarian zone
A United Nations envoy condemns a deadly Israeli airstrike on Hamas officials in a humanitarian zone in Gaza, which Hamas officials claim killed at least 19 people.
“I strongly condemn today’s deadly airstrikes by Israel on a densely populated area in an Israeli-designated humanitarian zone in Khan Younis where displaced people were sheltering,” the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, says in a statement.
Wennesland says international humanitarian law “must be upheld at all times,” stressing that “civilians must never be used as human shields.”
Israel has said the strike targeted three senior Hamas officials embedded within the humanitarian zone, rendering the place a legitimate military target under international law as long as all necessary precautions are taken to mitigate civilian casualties. The IDF has said it took such precautions.
Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage right now? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:
- Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock;
- Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and emails; and
- Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including exclusive webinars with our reporters and weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.
