Key facts
- UN official Khaled Khiari reported over 1,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza since mid-June, many while seeking aid.
- Total Palestinian fatalities since October 7, 2023, have surpassed 56,500, according to Gazan health authorities.
- On June 17, an IDF tank reportedly opened fire on a crowd waiting for aid in Khan Younis, killing 50 and injuring 200.
- Escalating violence in the occupied West Bank has led to fatalities, including a 15-year-old boy and an elderly woman on June 25.
- The UN welcomed the June 24 ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel.
A United Nations official has condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, describing the situation as "unbearable" and "volatile." Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Khaled Khiari, briefed the UN Security Council, reporting that over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since mid-June alone, many while seeking aid. Gazan health authorities indicate that the total number of Palestinian fatalities since October 7, 2023, has surpassed 56,500.
Khiari cited specific incidents where Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) allegedly opened fire near aid distribution points. On June 17, an IDF tank reportedly killed at least 50 people and injured 200 in Khan Younis while they were waiting for World Food Programme aid. A week later, IDF troops reportedly fired near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites, resulting in 49 deaths and 197 injuries. The UN strongly condemned these losses and called for an immediate, independent investigation and accountability for perpetrators.
The UN official also reiterated condemnation of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups for their attacks in Israel, which killed over 1,200 people and led to more than 250 hostages being taken, with 50 still in captivity. Khiari also condemned the widespread killing and injury of civilians in Gaza, including children and women, and the destruction of infrastructure.
In the occupied West Bank, Khiari noted escalating violence, with Israeli raids and settler violence leading to fatalities, including a 15-year-old boy and an elderly woman on June 25. Armed settlers were also reported to have killed several Palestinians during attacks in Surif and Kafr Malik. Khiari warned that military operations and settler expansion are causing fatalities, displacement, and destruction.
Concluding his briefing, Khiari welcomed the June 24 ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel, which was announced by US President Donald Trump and facilitated by US and Qatari mediation. He expressed hope that this ceasefire could be replicated in other regional conflicts, particularly in Gaza.