Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 15th May. UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said on Tuesday that the world body has launched an investigation into the recent killing of an Indian staff member in Rafah, in southern Gaza.
Mr. Haq said that a UN vehicle was driving to the European Hospital in Rafah on Monday when deadly shots were fired, killing one UN international staff member and injuring another.
He said “there’s regular work that’s going on in terms of bringing people to different sites, and this was part of that”.
“We are in discussion with Israel to determine exactly how this incident happened and the nature of what happened,” Mr. Haq said.
“I don’t think at this stage we are in doubt about where the shots came from as much as what the circumstances were. We believe it came from a tank in the area.”
“What we know so far indicates that a weapon appears to have impacted the back of a white UN vehicle, carrying two UN staff members, killing one and injuring another,” he explained.
Mr. Haq said that the deceased staff member has been identified as Waibhav Anil Kale, a former military officer from India, and the injured staff member was a Jordanian woman, who is receiving medical attention.
He said that Mr. Antonio Guterres has expressed his condolences.
Mr. Kale “is the first international casualty” in Gaza, Mr. Haq said, added that there are currently 71 international UN staff members in Gaza.
“It’s very early in the investigation, and details of the incident are still being verified with the Israeli Defense Forces,” he added.
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