The UN chief on Thursday described the continued lack of effective protection for civilians in Gaza during the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas as “unconscionable”.

In a statement released via his Spokesperson, Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the latest Israeli attack on a school serving as a shelter in Nuseirat on Wednesday, which killed six staffers from the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, along with at least 12 others, including women and children.

“This incident raises the number of UNRWA staff killed in this conflict to 220,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told correspondents at UN Headquarters in New York.

“The Israeli Defense Forces stated that they had targeted a command-and-control centre in the compound,” he said. “This incident must be independently and thoroughly investigated to ensure accountability.”

‘Horrific violence must end’

The UN chief demanded that all combatants protect the lives and “essential needs” of civilians throughout the Gaza Strip, urging them to stop using schools and shelters – or the areas around them – for military purposes.

All parties are obliged to always comply with international humanitarian law, Mr. Dujarric underscored.

“The Secretary-General reiterates his call for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages being held in Gaza. This horrific violence must stop.”

Polio vaccination continues

Despite numerous challenges, the UN-administered polio vaccination campaign aiming to inoculate some 640,000 children in Gaza with two doses of vaccine type 2 is continuing, Mr. Dujarric told journalists.

“UNRWA tells us that, as of yesterday, nearly 530,000 children have now received the vaccine across the Gaza Strip.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), organized the largest medical evacuation from Gaza since last October, the UN health agency has reported.

The total of 252 people who left the enclave on Wednesday included 97 sick and severely injured patients and 155 of their companions. They travelled through the Kerem Shalom crossing to Ramon Airport in Israel for onward travel to Abu Dhabi for specialised care, WHO added.

WHO regional director Hanan Balky said patients were suffering from a variety of conditions, including brain tumors, cancers, amputations and serious injuries sustained during the war.

“This achievement took place as WHO and partners were also wrapping up the first round of a polio campaign targeting 640,000 children under the age of 10,” he said in a post on X.

“My deepest gratitude to the UAE for their continued generosity in receiving and treating patients from Gaza, and sincere appreciation to the dedicated teams at WHO and partners for their tireless efforts despite the challenges.”

Child deaths in Lebanon

Mr. Dujarric said on Thursday that the situation on both sides of the Blue Line that divides south Lebanon and northern Israel “continues to be fragile and is taking its toll on civilians, particularly, on children”. 

The UN peacekeeping force that patrols the demarcation area and provides services to civilians in need, UNIFIL, said that two children were reportedly killed by a drone strike in southern Lebanon on Wednesday evening. 

UNIFIL reiterated its condemnation of any attacks on civilians and called on all parties to the conflict to cease the exchanges of fire across the Blue Line and return to a cessation of hostilities.