GAZA, (PIC)
The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, said that the Israeli occupation army stopped a UN convoy on its way to northern Gaza for more than eight hours on Monday despite prior detailed coordination.
Lazzarini added in a statement that the convoy had both national and international staff traveling to roll out the polio vaccination campaign for children in Gaza city and northern Gaza.
He confirmed that the convoy was stopped at gun point just after the Wadi Gaza checkpoint, with threats to detain UN staff. The IOF bulldozers caused heavy damage to the UN armored vehicles.
He pointed out that after hours, all the staff and the convoy were released and returned safely to the UN base, saying, “we are not able to confirm whether the polio campaign will take place today (Tuesday) in northern Gaza.”
This serious incident is the latest in a series of violations against UN personnel, including shooting at convoys and arrests of UN personnel by Israeli forces at checkpoints despite prior notification, the UN official said.
“UN staff must be allowed to undertake their duties safely and to be protected at all times in accordance with international humanitarian law. Gaza is no different,” he added.
