Six UN staff killed in Gaza school strike; Lebanon violations mount

This article is published in association with United Nations.

Israeli strikes killed six UN workers and civilians at a school sheltering displaced families in Gaza as needs grow, according to the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA.

At least 220 agency staff have been killed in Gaza since the Hamas-Israel war began in October 2023.

UNRWA Acting Commissioner-General Christian Saunders said the safety of humanitarian staff, premises and operations had been blatantly disregarded since the beginning of the war.

“The longer impunity prevails, the more international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions will become irrelevant,” he said.

Thousands killed and injured

Since the fragile 10 October 2025 ceasefire agreement, local authorities have reported 1,334 deaths and 4,429 injuries in Gaza, according to the UN emergency relief agency, OCHA.

The UN’s safety and security partners reported military operations, including airstrikes, shelling, gunfire and naval fire, continued across all parts of Gaza over the weekend, particularly west of the so-called “yellow line” Israel established at the start of the ceasefire agreement.

Airstrikes trigger displacement

Israeli airstrikes and other attacks continued to hit populated areas, causing casualties and property damage and driving further displacement, according to OCHA’s latest humanitarian update.

Currently, nine in 10 people in Gaza are internally displaced, including people who have been repeatedly displaced.

Overcrowding, inadequate shelter and limited access to safe water and sanitation are increasing the risk of communicable disease transmission in Gaza, particularly respiratory infections, acute watery diarrhoea and acute jaundice syndrome, OCHA said, adding that winter preparedness efforts at overcrowded displacement sites remain severely constrained by funding shortages and restrictions on the entry of essential materials.

Denied access

OCHA said Israeli denials and delays of approvals for engine oil and spare parts threaten generator-dependent water, sanitation, health and waste management services.

At the same time, about one in four people in the enclave are likely to have acute and ongoing care needs, including patients with extreme injuries, amputations, head and spinal cord injuries and burns, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

‘The killing must stop’: UNICEF

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that over the past seven days in the Gaza Strip, attacks killed multiple children, including reports that:

• Sisters Bana, 6, and Lana, 12, were killed alongside their parents in an airstrike in Beit Lahia while they slept
• Wafaa, 8, was killed in Gaza City
• A pregnant mother and her unborn baby were killed by gunfire in Khan Younis
• Saadi, 3, and Obaida, 9, were also killed by gunfire in Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis
• Hilal, 14, was injured in an airstrike in Khan Younis on Thursday. Yesterday, he died from his injuries.

Another three children died from earlier injuries, and at least 13 children were injured, the UN agency said.

“Every child must be protected,” UNICEF said. “The killing must stop.”

Lebanon: Exploding jerry cans

UN peacekeepers in Lebanon continue to observe Israeli military activity inside Lebanese territory, on land, in the air and at sea, according to the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Farhan Haq.

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Of particular concern is the continued use of explosive-filled jerrycans. Between Thursday and Sunday, peacekeepers with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) observed Israeli drones dropping the devices near Al Mansuri, all of which later detonated, including at least nine explosions on Saturday alone.

UNIFIL also recorded numerous violations of Lebanese airspace, mostly by drones but also fighter jets and, on one occasion, a helicopter, with at least 32 airstrikes logged within its area of operations over the same period.

Troop deployments

Peacekeepers reported extensive artillery activity, troop deployments, engineering work and vehicle movements across both sectors, while Israeli patrol boats were observed daily in Lebanese waters off Naqoura. 

Freedom of movement also remains a concern. On Sunday, Israeli personnel held a UNIFIL patrol for two hours northeast of Kafer Chouba, and Mr. Haq repeated that peacekeepers must be able to carry out their mandated work without obstruction.

Despite the security situation, UNIFIL continues to support humanitarian efforts, facilitating 16 missions in coordination with aid coordination office OCHA on Thursday and Friday.