The UN has announced the withdrawal of a third of its international staff from Gaza following repeated Israeli attacks on camps.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that despite the urgent need, the continued presence of UN staff on a humanitarian basis is made difficult by security concerns, as hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children, have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire.
This is the first withdrawal of UN staff since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in 2023. However, the UN is adamant in its decision to keep some staff. The UN is not leaving Gaza, the secretary-general said. I pledge to continue the UN’s support for the safety and survival of civilians there.
The UN secretary-general noted that 280 UN staff have been killed since the start of the war in 2023. UN staff have never been subjected to such conditions in any other country or region involved in conflict.
The Secretary-General’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said that about 100 staff will leave Gaza within the next week. More staff may be withdrawn in the coming days. However, local Palestinians working for the UN will continue to carry out humanitarian duties.