Tue Mar 25 02:39:55 UTC 2025: ## UN Scales Back Gaza Operations After Israeli Strike Kills Staffer
**Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip –** The United Nations announced it will significantly reduce its presence in the Gaza Strip following an Israeli tank strike that killed a UN worker and injured five others on March 19th. The UN Secretary-General’s spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, confirmed that the strike, which hit a UN guesthouse, was “caused by an Israeli tank,” marking the first time the UN directly blamed Israel for the incident. Israel continues to deny responsibility.
The UN will temporarily withdraw about one-third of its approximately 100 international staff members, citing increased danger following Israel’s renewed military offensive in Gaza. This decision comes despite soaring humanitarian needs in the besieged territory, where Israel has cut off all food, medicine, and aid for three weeks. The UN emphasized that it is not completely leaving Gaza, maintaining its roughly 13,000 national staff, primarily with UNRWA.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in devastating consequences. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli strikes killed more than 60 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which has also released a list of over 15,000 children killed since the campaign began 17 months ago. These figures include nearly 5,000 children under the age of six, and 876 infants.
The escalating violence also impacted other aid organizations. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported damage to its Rafah office and the loss of contact with Palestine Red Crescent Society emergency medical technicians. Israel’s strike on the surgery ward of Khan Younis’ Nasser Hospital killed two people, including a teenage boy recovering from surgery and a Hamas official. Israel claims the official was a target, while Hamas says he was receiving treatment.
The UN’s reduction in staff comes as many aid and medical operations have been suspended due to safety concerns and Israeli evacuation orders. The conflict has already displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population, with the Health Ministry reporting over 50,000 Palestinian deaths and 113,000 injuries since the beginning of the campaign. Israel initiated the campaign in response to a Hamas attack in October 2023, aiming to force Hamas to accept new ceasefire terms and release hostages. The situation remains highly volatile, with ongoing rocket attacks from Gaza and Yemen further complicating the crisis.
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