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The United Nations has confirmed it will temporarily reduce its international presence in Gaza following an Israeli strike on a UN compound that killed a staff member and injured several others, amid escalating violence and worsening humanitarian conditions.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement recently collapsed after both sides accused each other of violating its terms. Israel stated the truce fell apart because Hamas failed to release more hostages and continued to pose security threats, prompting Israel to relaunch military strikes. Hamas, on the other hand, blamed Israel for imposing a blockade on humanitarian goods coming into Gaza and for refusing to pull forces back for phase two of the ceasefire deal. Since the ceasefire fell apart, Israel has resumed intensive air and ground operations across Gaza. Israeli officials say these strikes have eliminated multiple high-ranking Hamas officials, including members of its de facto cabinet. However, these strikes also resulted in massive civilian casualties, with hundreds killed in the latest wave of attacks.
What’s going on now: In an announcement, the United Nations confirmed it is reducing its international staff presence in Gaza by approximately one-third, citing escalating security risks following a deadly Israeli strike on a UN compound. In a statement, UN Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said, “The secretary-general has taken the difficult decision to reduce the organization’s footprint in Gaza, even as humanitarian needs soar and our concern over the protection of civilians intensifies.” The move will see around 30 of the 100 international personnel currently in Gaza temporarily withdrawn, though Dujarric stressed the UN remains committed to providing life-saving aid and said, “The UN is not leaving Gaza.”
The decision follows a March 19 incident in which a strike—believed by the UN to have come from an Israeli tank—hit a well-marked UN guesthouse in Deir al-Balah, killing Bulgarian staffer Marin Valev Marinov and injuring six others. Dujarric said that the location of the compound “was well known to the parties to the conflict” and called for a “full, thorough and independent investigation” into the attack.
Israel’s side: Israel has previously claimed that Hamas routinely uses UN infrastructure, particularly facilities operated by UNRWA, to hide terrorists, store weapons, and launch attacks, effectively using civilian sites as shields. Israel has used such incidents to justify strikes near or on UN-affiliated sites, arguing that Hamas’ tactics deliberately endanger civilians and undermine the neutrality of humanitarian organizations.
This comes as multiple UN-backed programs have been suspended due to ongoing hostilities, including education, water, sanitation, and protection services. UN officials and humanitarian agencies warn that the withdrawal may worsen an already catastrophic situation, as the population grapples with famine, disease, and displacement under a near-total blockade.
