UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Thursday condemns Israel's firing on UN aid convoy in Gaza and called again for an immediate ceasefire.
Michele Montas, the UN spokesperson, said in a statement that "the secretary-general condemns the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) firing on a United Nations aid convoy in Gaza, the killing of two UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) contract workers and the injuring of another. "
"According to reporters from UN agencies, this incident took place during the three-hour humanitarian lull announced by the IDF," she said.
The United Nations halted the humanitarian deliveries to the Gaza Strip on Thursday after gunfire from an Israeli tank killed an aid truck driver in Gaza, reports said.
"The United Nations is in close touch with the Israeli authorities about full investigation of this and other incidents, and about the need for urgent measures to avoid them in the future," she said.
"The secretary-general calls once again for an immediate ceasefire in order to facilitate full and unhindered humanitarian access, and to allow aid workers to work in safety to reach persons in need," she said. "UNRWA has been forced to suspend food distributions as it cannot guarantee the safety of its staff."
"The inability of the UN to provide assistance in this worsening humanitarian crisis is unacceptable," she added.
The United Nations has demanded an investigation after Israel shells hit a UN school filled with Gazans seeking refuge from the fighting which has left nearly 750 Palestinians dead.
The world body provides food aid to some 750,000 Gaza residents, and runs dozens of schools and clinics across the territory. They have about 9,000 locally employed workers inside Gaza, and a small team of international staffers who work there.
The organization is the only international player in Gaza after Israel launched air strikes on the Strip to retaliate for the firing of rockets into southern Israel by Hamas militants.
Source:Xinhua
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