(CNN) — Israel's military has asked the United Nations to investigate the presence of militants at the UN compound in southern Gaza after it released video showing armed men at the building's entrance.
This Tuesday, released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and geolocated by CNN, shows armed men near vehicles with the logo of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA, its acronym in English) in Rafah, which served as a key point for the distribution of humanitarian aid. Israel's military said the footage was filmed on May 11, three days before the IDF released it. CNN cannot independently verify the date the video was shot.
UNRWA, the main UN agency operating in Gaza, said it “could not verify the authenticity or content” of the video, but said it was “unlikely” that the video showed the UNRWA warehouse evacuated last week.
“UNRWA condemns the use of UN facilities by any party to the conflict for military or belligerent purposes. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma said in a statement, “The UN We have repeatedly called for independent investigations and accountability for the blatant disregard for employees' lives, facilities and operations. “We reiterate our call on all parties to the conflict to respect the sanctity and neutrality of UN facilities. Under no circumstances should anyone possess or use weapons on UN premises.
This February 8, 2024 photo taken during a press tour organized by the Israeli army shows Israeli soldiers inside the evacuated compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza City. (Photo by Jake Cuse/AFP via Getty Images)
Touma said UNRWA staff were ordered to evacuate the facility last week “for their own safety” in compliance with an Israeli military order to evacuate parts of East Rafah. He assured that UNRWA staff had left vehicles and flour at the facilities.
The Israeli military said COGAT, the Israeli agency that coordinates humanitarian aid to Gaza, had shared its findings with “senior officials in the international community,” including UN officials.
“This is a worrying event,” IDF spokesman Major Nir Dinar told CNN. “This is not the first time we have seen armed personnel in UN facilities and vehicles.”
Dinar said the army “did not attack the militants or the vehicles because it was clear they were in UN facilities and near UN personnel”. However, the IDF has carried out attacks against UN facilities in the past, including the same facility in East Rafah in March, according to a video of the attack released by the IDF at the time.
It is unclear whether the gunmen in the IDF drone footage are part of Hamas or other fighting groups in Gaza.
The UN he drove in Rafah. Israel's military released the video a day after a United Nations employee was killed and another injured in an attack on an insignia vehicle. The United Nations said it believed a tank had fired at the vehicle and the Israeli military said the incident was “under investigation”.
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