New York - Saba:
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has disclosed details of the Israeli occupation’s execution of one of its employees, describing it as a "field execution" and stressing that its personnel "are not targets."
In a statement on Wednesday, as reported by the Palestinian News Agency, UNRWA said its employee, Kamal, who had served the agency for over 20 years, left his home in Rafah on March 23 wearing a UN vest and driving a clearly marked UN vehicle. However, the agency soon lost contact with him.
UNRWA added that Kamal’s whereabouts remained unknown for days until his body was found in a mass grave, "alongside the remains of Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics who were killed by Israeli forces."
The agency clarified that, based on recently obtained information, "the murdered father and husband was killed by one or several gunshots to the back of his skull and then buried next to members of the Palestinian Red Crescent team."
UNRWA confirmed that it has received no direct response regarding Kamal’s killing, despite repeated requests to the Israeli occupation government.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated: "Kamal worked with UNRWA for over 20 years and left behind a wife and children. This is one of many unbearable cases. Impunity opens the door to further atrocities."
Lazzarini called for independent investigations into Kamal’s killing and the deaths of all other UNRWA staff in Gaza, whose toll has now exceeded 310 employees. The UN confirmed that it has suffered "the highest number of staff casualties in any conflict since the organization’s founding."
Meanwhile, the UN Office for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory expressed shock at the "apparent field execution of a UNRWA staff member" and called for an urgent investigation to hold those responsible accountable.
The office stated: "Israeli forces have fired on ambulances and rescue vehicles belonging to the Palestinian Red Crescent and Civil Defense, which were clearly marked, resulting in the killing of 15 relief workers."
It emphasized that these crimes reflect a "horrifying and systematic pattern"of violations of international humanitarian law.
The office also noted reports of "Palestinians dying while in Israeli custody," raising serious concerns about torture and extrajudicial killings. Among them is prominent orthopedic surgeon Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh, whose body has been held by Israeli authorities for over a year.
The Human Rights Office stressed that "the deliberate killing of civilians in an armed conflict, if proven, constitutes a war crime." It voiced deep concern over the "proliferation of unlawful killings, including extrajudicial executions, and the repeated nature of these violations."
It further highlighted the "clear absence of effective steps by Israeli forces to prevent or hold perpetrators accountable in most cases, indicating that these crimes are not isolated incidents but enjoy implicit approval from military and civilian leadership."
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