The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, announced a heavy toll of victims for the international organization over the past year, with 136 staff members losing their lives while performing their professional duties in various parts of the world. Guterres clarified during a formal memorial ceremony that these victims belonged to 32 countries, distributed among 97 civilian staff and 39 individuals from international peacekeeping forces.
In detailing the humanitarian shock, the Secretary-General pointed out that the Gaza Strip alone witnessed the killing of 80 staff members who were working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). UN sources confirmed that this number represents the largest human loss suffered by the United Nations in the context of a single conflict or natural disaster since its establishment, reflecting the unprecedented scale of risks faced by international teams.
Guterres spoke bitterly about the circumstances of the killing of these employees, stating that some were targeted with their family members inside their homes or in shelters they believed to be safe. Others fell while carrying out their humanitarian missions inside offices, shelters, and local communities they dedicated their lives to serving, emphasizing that targeting aid workers represents a clear violation of international laws and humanitarian norms.
This announcement comes at a time when the Gaza Strip has reached a ceasefire agreement, two years after a devastating war described by international reports as a war of annihilation. These military confrontations have left widespread destruction affecting nearly 90% of vital facilities and civilian infrastructure in the Strip, causing a near-complete paralysis of public life and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents.
Regarding economic and construction assessments, United Nations estimates indicate that the cost of reconstructing what the war destroyed in the Gaza Strip will be very high, potentially reaching about 70 billion dollars. This process requires tremendous international efforts to rebuild residential neighborhoods, health facilities, and educational institutions that were leveled during the long months of intense bombardment.
Guterres concluded his speech by emphasizing the need to protect humanitarian personnel and ensure that these tragedies are not repeated in the future, calling on the international community to bear its responsibilities towards the victims and their families. He stressed that the international organization will continue to fulfill its mission despite the heavy costs, considering that the sacrifices of UNRWA staff in Gaza will remain a testament to the cruelty of the conflict and the necessity of achieving justice.
The number of UN staff killed in Gaza exceeded the number lost by the organization in any other conflict or disaster in its history.
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Guterres: The killing of 80 UN staff in Gaza represents the largest toll in the organization's history