The United Nations has declared a significant reduction of its operational presence in the Gaza Strip following a recent incident involving an Israeli tank strike. The strike, which occurred on March 19, resulted in the death of a staff member and injuries to five others within a U.N. compound.

Incident Overview

Israel has denied responsibility for the explosion that damaged the U.N. guesthouse in central Gaza. However, Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the U.N. Secretary-General, stated on Monday that initial investigations suggest the strike was caused by an Israeli tank.

While the Israeli military has not yet commented on the matter, the U.N. has made the difficult choice to downsize its international staff by approximately one-third, reducing its numbers from around 100 personnel in Gaza.

Humanitarian Impact

Dujarric emphasized that the U.N. is not withdrawing from Gaza entirely, noting that around 13,000 national staff remain, primarily working through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees. The decision comes amid escalating humanitarian needs, as Israel has restricted food, fuel, and medical supplies to the territory’s 2 million residents for over three weeks.

Operational Challenges

Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), mentioned that many of the organization’s activities, particularly those related to education, protection, and water sanitation, have already been suspended due to safety concerns stemming from the ongoing conflict and Israeli evacuation orders.

• Only 29 out of 237 temporary learning spaces have reopened since the ceasefire ended.
• Movement of humanitarian trucks, including those responsible for water distribution, has been severely hindered.

Casualty Details and Prior Context

A Bulgarian national, Marin Valev Marinov, aged 51, died in the strike. He was affiliated with the U.N. Office for Project Services, which oversees various development projects globally. Prior to the deadly strike, there were reports of earlier explosions that had affected the compound, and UNOPS leaders confirmed that they had informed the Israeli military about the facility’s location following those incidents.