The United Nations has confirmed that an Indian staff member killed in Gaza this week died when an Israeli tank struck his vehicle. Colonel Waibhav Kale, a former Indian army officer, was killed on Monday near Rafah, marking the first death of an international UN worker in Gaza since the conflict began.
UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq stated on Wednesday that the organisation had 'no doubt' that shots from an Israeli tank hit the rear of the clearly marked UN vehicle. Another staff member was injured in the incident. The UN has called for an investigation into the circumstances of the attack and is in discussions with Israeli authorities.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said an initial inquiry indicated the vehicle was struck in an active combat zone and that it had not been informed of the route. However, the UN countered that the vehicle was clearly marked and its movements had been communicated to Israeli authorities in advance.
Colonel Kale, 46, from Maharashtra, India, had joined the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) in Gaza just weeks before the attack. His cousin, Chinmay Kale, told local media: 'Waibhav Kale, an Indian, had nothing to do with Hamas or Israel or this war. But he has sacrificed his life for peace. Now, peace must be restored in Gaza.'
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep sadness over the death, noting that more than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza since the war began. The incident follows the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in an Israeli strike in April, which led to the dismissal of two senior IDF officers.
