UNRWA Condemns Israeli Attack on Gaza Aid Workers – 15 Dead in Humanitarian Tragedy

Destroyed UNRWA ambulances in Gaza after Israeli attacks. Mar 31, 2025 Photo: Al Mayadeen

March 31, 2025 Hour: 4:30 pm

A recent statement from the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) has highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza following an Israeli military attack that killed 15 aid workers.

UNRWA Chief Denounces ‘Deep Violation of Human Dignity’ After Mass Grave Discovery

Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, described the incident as a “deep violation of human dignity,” emphasizing the brutality of discovering the bodies—including members of the Palestinian Red Crescent—abandoned in a mass grave.

The attack occurred on October 23 when an emergency team was heading to Rafah to assist the wounded and recover bodies after Israeli airstrikes. Despite being on a humanitarian mission, the ambulances and vehicles involved were attacked, leading to the disappearance of the workers.

#Gaza: devastating to confirm the deaths of two additional @UNRWA colleagues and 8 Palestinian Red Crescent aid workers & first responders.

This brings the death toll of aid workers killed to 408 among them more than 280 UNRWA staff since the war began 1.5 years ago.

The body…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) March 31, 2025

Gaza Emergency Team Targeted: Ambulances Attacked During Rescue Mission

Six days later, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Red Crescent personnel found the destroyed vehicles and, after an extensive search, recovered the victims’ bodies.

Lazzarini stressed that in Gaza, such killings have become “routine,” demanding accountability to prevent this tragedy from becoming the new norm. With over 280 UNRWA employees killed since the Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, 2023, the situation continues to deteriorate.