A British bomb disposal expert has been injured in an attack on a United Nations (UN) facility in the Gaza Strip, which also claimed the life of a UN worker, according to the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), the charity he works for.
The 51-year-old, whose name has not been disclosed, was one of five people wounded in an explosion at a UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) facility in Deir al-Balah on Wednesday morning. The attack has sparked international condemnation and calls for an investigation.
Explosion at Humanitarian Facility
MAG, a UK-based mine clearance charity, confirmed that the injured Briton is an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) expert who was conducting an explosive hazards assessment when the blast occurred.
The organization’s chief executive, Darren Cormack, stated that the expert was initially taken to a hospital in Gaza before being transferred to Israel for further treatment.
Cormack condemned the attack, saying, “It is shocking that a humanitarian facility should be subject to attacks of this nature and that humanitarian workers are being killed and injured in the line of duty. Attacks against humanitarian premises are a breach of international law.”
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, emphasized the need for a full investigation into the incident, while Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of UNOPS, asserted that the explosion was “not an accident.”
Conflicting Accounts on the Cause
The Israeli military denied responsibility for the attack, stating that an initial review found “no connection to IDF activity whatsoever.” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein reiterated that the circumstances of the explosion were under investigation.
Conversely, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry accused Israel of carrying out the strike. The UN confirmed that the explosion did not occur as part of standard bomb disposal operations but rather resulted from “ordnance being fired at or dropped on the building.”
Resumption of Hostilities in Gaza
The attack comes as Israel resumes its military offensive in Gaza following a two-month ceasefire, with a new wave of airstrikes reportedly killing over 400 people.
The war, which began on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched an attack on Israel, has led to significant casualties and widespread destruction in Gaza. According to the territory’s health ministry, more than 48,500 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began.
International Response
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed concern over the renewed fighting and called for restraint during a phone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday night.
“The Prime Minister underscored that he is deeply concerned by the return to fighting and urged for Israeli restraint,” a Downing Street spokesperson stated.
The UN has reiterated the need to protect civilians and humanitarian workers in conflict zones, urging all parties to adhere to international humanitarian law.