UN expresses deep concern over Israeli airstrikes in Gaza despite ceasefire

'This is a stark reminder how fragile the ceasefire is,' says spokesperson

The UN on Thursday conveyed its deep concern over the latest Israeli airstrikes against the Gaza Strip that have killed several civilians, including children, despite the Gaza ceasefire signed on Oct. 10. "Turning to Gaza, I can tell you that we are deeply concerned about the Israeli airstrikes that we've seen in which civilians were reportedly killed and injured yesterday, including children," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference. Noting that "this is a stark reminder of how fragile the ceasefire is," Dujarric said: "What we need is for all to ensure that the ceasefire holds and continues to hold." He stressed that "civilians must always be protected and spared from harm." On Wednesday, the Israeli army killed 25 Palestinians and wounded 77 in a series of back-to-back strikes on several areas that Israel had previously withdrawn from, in what Palestinian authorities called a violation of the ceasefire agreement, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. Data from Palestinian factions, human rights groups, and government bodies indicate that Israel has carried out dozens of ceasefire violations since the agreement went into effect on Oct. 10. Israel has killed 280 Palestinians and wounded 672 since Oct. 11, according to a Wednesday statement by Gaza’s Health Ministry. Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed nearly 70,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, injured over 170,000, and reduced most of the enclave to rubble.