United Nations – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack on a U.N. school in Gaza that killed at least 16 people early Wednesday as “outrageous” and “unjustifiable,” and demanded an immediate humanitarian cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas.
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“Nothing is more shameful than attacking sleeping children,” Ban said on his arrival in San Jose, Costa Rica. “I condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms.”
Ban said “all available evidence points to Israeli artillery as the cause” of the pre-dawn attack, and he pointedly noted that Israeli military authorities had received the coordinates of the school from the United Nations 17 times, including on Tuesday night.
At U.N. headquarters in New York, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson expressed “shock and dismay” at the attack that also injured more than 100. He stressed that more than 3,000 civilians had sought shelter at the elementary girls’ school in the Jebaliya refugee camp.
Israeli’s military said it fired back after soldiers were targeted by mortar rounds launched from the vicinity of the school.
John Ging, the director of U.N. humanitarian operations, said it was the fifth attack on a United Nations school sheltering civilians since fighting between Israel and Hamas began on July 8.
Ban said almost 1,300 people have been killed in Gaza since then, almost 6,000 have been wounded, and the United Nations has taken in 140,000 people who have fled the fighting at its facilities in Gaza, including many schools.
The U.N. Security Council scheduled a briefing Thursday morning on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza at the request of Jordan, the Arab representative on the council.
Eliasson asked the world to remember the human beings at the center of the war.
He took a copy of the U.N. Charter out of his pocket and read the first few words, “We the peoples…” to stress that “this organization is about people in the end.”
“We’ve just seen this morning a horrifying example of the price paid,” Eliasson said. “When you get that vicious circle of violence, first of all you get increased suffering, and secondly you get hatred and mistrust that is there as a poison in the societies and makes a peaceful future less probable.”
Eliasson and Ban urged both sides to agree to an immediate, unconditional humanitarian cease-fire and talks to resolve outstanding issues peacefully.
how many times will I hear the same line …”demand for a complete cease fire” from monkey moon
did Ban Ki-Moon check WHO FIRED AT THE UN SCHOOL – did he read the Italian Reporter from Gaza tweeting that HAMAS FIRED AT THE UN SCHOOL.
WHO STORED ROCKETS IN THE UNRWA SCHOOLS in three different schools – was it Israel that put them there or HAMAS TERRORISTS.
Italian journalist covering the warfare @gabrielebarbati tweeted “out of Gaza far from Hamas retaliation. Misfired rocket killed children yday (yesterday) in Shati. Witness: militants rushed and cleared debris”. –
The Law of Land Warfare under the Geneva and Hague Conventions: Places with protected status (churches, hospitals, schools, etc) LOSE that protected status when an armed force uses that facility to store/launch weapons for an attack or occupies it for other than humanitarian purposes. By example, you can use a hospital to treat military casualties and it retains protected status. If you use it as an operations center or fire artillery out of the courtyard, that status is removed and the hospital becomes a legitimate target.
In addition, if bombardment of a civilian area becomes necessary due to a hostile force using it to conduct military operations, notification of the civilian population prior to bombardment is required. What is NOT required is to not fire on it. The area is a legitimate military target and may be engaged. (Side point: The fact that people either elect not to leave or the hostile force will not let them leave is immaterial to the legal right to shoot at/into that area. Israel did notify the civilians in these areas to leave.)
Even if the Israeli attack was not in response to firing, in war, mistakes are made, such as the shooting of the plane over Ukraine.
Yes it is shameful that Hamas puts rockets in UNRWA buildings.
MK Moshe Feiglin: For those who still do not understand that Israel is fighting a war for its existence in the face of Arab Islam and its terror organizations – which are all watching us now – and enjoying the show. For those who still prefer to choose diplomatic humiliation instead of defeat of the enemy, conquering Gaza and total victory in battle. For those who still do not understand that if Israel is defeated now, G-d forbid, it will lead to a much, much worse war. It is worthwhile to remember the immortal statement of Winston Churchill after British PM Chamberlain signed an agreement with Hitler: “You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war.”
Are the UN officials shocked and disgusted that Hamas violated the sanctity of their medical clinic by digging a terror tunnel under it and booby trapping it, killing more people? Stupid question, dead Israelis don’t count.
Yeah, heard your rubbish before, Moon, not against Syria where 170,000 and counting have been slaughtered of course, you’re helpless and worthless there but only against the Jews you dare open your stupid mouth.
I have two words for you Ban Ki and it ‘aint Good Day, I assure you!
Real question here is why the cowardly Israeli gov does not come out once and for all and call the UN illegitimate, irrelevant, and Anti Semitic and pull out of this disgraceful union.
Shameful is the existence of the UN!
and using a school as a depository for weapons is not shameful? the UN allowing their facility to be used as an armory is not shameful?