Israel attack on aid convoy heading to Gaza City ‘not isolated incident’, UNRWA says

Israeli occupation forces shooting of a United Nations aid convoy that was heading to Gaza City on Sunday is not an isolated incident, an UNRWA official said, adding that similar attacks have taken place in the past.

UNRWA’S head of communications, Inas Hamdan, said yesterday that this is not the first time Israeli occupation forces have targeted aid workers, adding that the convoy was travelling north of Gaza City when it came under intense fire. No casualties were reported.

She indicated that the vehicle was severely damaged even though it had coordinated in advance with the Israeli side.

“These convoys heading to the Gaza Strip should not be targeted, and what happened is a violation of international law, because this convoy had prior coordination. What happened is added to the list of violations,” Hamdan said.

On Sunday, UNRWA said Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a UN convoy that was heading to Gaza City.

UNRWA Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, wrote on X that an agency vehicle was hit by at least five bullets while it was waiting in front of an Israeli military checkpoint in the central Gaza Strip.

#Gaza
Heavy shooting from the Israeli Forces at a UN convoy heading to Gaza city.
While there are no casualties, our teams had to duck and take cover.

This took place yesterday. The teams were traveling in clearly marked UN armoured cars & wearing UN vests.

One vehicle…

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) July 22, 2024

Lazzarin added: “This took place yesterday. The teams were traveling in clearly marked UN armoured cars & wearing UN vests.”

READ: Palestine slams Israel effort to label UNRWA a ‘terrorist organisation’