United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) on Tuesday called for an international investigation into the Israeli crimes committed against peaceful protesters in Gaza Monday.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health said that the Israeli occupation forces on Monday killed 59 Palestinians and injured about 2800 others.
The UNRWA said in a statement that it was dismayed by the killing and wounding of dozens of civilians and children in Gaza adding that Monday’s violence and loss of life will add yet another layer of trauma onto an already untenable situation.
The UN Agency unreservedly condemned the excessive use of force against demonstrators who have the right to peaceful protest and expression.
The statement stressed that the people of the Gaza Strip have been exposed to the consequences of repeated armed conflicts and a stifling blockade over the past decade.
“UNRWA is specifically alarmed by the impact the latest developments have had on Palestine refugees who constitute over 70% of Gaza’s population” the statement said.
Since the launch of the Great Return March on 30th March in Gaza at least four UNRWA students have been killed and some 125 injured. In many cases the injuries sustained are very severe and likely to result in life-long disabilities.
The UNRWA called for investigations into these grave incidents in accordance with international standards to ensure accountability for violations of international law and demanded collective international mobilization to prevent further loss of life and injury. “Every additional casualty is a defeat for humanity” the Agency stressed.
The Israeli army has killed 113 Palestinians and injured over 12000 others since the Great Return March was launched in the Gaza Strip to demand the right of return for refugees and call for ending a decade-long blockade on the coastal enclave.
