At Algeria’s request, the UN Security Council addressed the recent Israeli airstrikes on the al-Ajouni school in the Gaza Strip, where displaced persons are seeking shelter. The strikes resulted in the killing of 18 civilians, the majority of whom were women and children, and the injury of several others, including six UNRWA staff members.

Addressing the Security Council, Algeria strongly condemned these attacks, expressing deep concern over the tragic targeting of schools by the Israeli occupation forces, leading to devastating civilian casualties. Algeria noted that this attack marks the fifth against the same school.

Algeria emphasized during the UNSC meeting that humanitarian infrastructure and workers are afforded special protection under international humanitarian law, and that targeting them constitutes war crimes under international law. It noted that the occupation army is deliberately targeting humanitarian workers, including UNRWA staff, which has already lost more than 220 staff members.

Alger
ia also stressed the imperative of ending the ongoing impunity and called on the Security Council to take action in response to this tragedy.

Security Council members, including the United Kingdom, China, Russia, France, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Sierra Leone, Malta, and Slovenia, emphasized that the gravity of the situation demands urgent action by the Council.

Meanwhile, the U.S. representative opposed the adoption of a UNSC resolution, while recognizing the seriousness of the school attack, and noted that the U.S. had requested an explanation from Israel concerning the circumstances of the attack.

Slovenia, president of the Security Council, affirmed it would consult with various delegations to enable the Council to achieve a unified voice on this tragic attack.

The UNSC condemned these attacks and affirmed that humanitarian workers, including local staff, must be protected in accordance with the Geneva Conventions.

The Council reaffirmed the importance of fully implementing the reso
lutions on the protection of humanitarian workers, including Resolution 2730, stressing the urgent need to enforce Security Council resolutions addressing the situation in Gaza, notably Resolution 2735.

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation has relentlessly pursued its aggression against the Gaza Strip by land, sea and air. This has so far led to the killing of 41,118 civilians, mostly children and women, and left 95,125 others injured.

Thousands of victims are still trapped under rubble and on the streets.

Source: Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA