The Israeli military has acknowledged that one of its tanks was responsible for the death of a United Nations worker in Gaza last month, an admission that comes after weeks of denial.
On March 19, a UN compound in Deir al-Balah was hit during renewed fighting between Israel and Hamas, killing Bulgarian UN staffer Marin Valev Marinov and seriously injuring five others. At the time, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) categorically denied targeting the facility, claiming no strikes had been made on the UN site.
However, in a stark reversal, the IDF announced on Thursday that its preliminary investigation revealed Israeli forces did in fact fire on the compound, mistakenly identifying the building as harboring enemy combatants.
“The building was struck due to assessed enemy presence and was not identified by the forces as a UN facility,” the IDF said in a statement. It added that these early findings have been shared with the United Nations and that a full report will follow.
The military expressed regret over what it described as a “serious incident,” and vowed to “draw operational lessons and evaluate additional measures” to prevent similar tragedies. “We express our deep sorrow for the loss and send our condolences to the family,” the statement read.
The incident occurred just a day after a fragile two-month ceasefire between Israel and Hamas collapsed, reigniting hostilities in the Gaza Strip. UN Secretary General António Guterres quickly demanded a thorough investigation, emphasizing that “the locations of all UN premises are known to the parties to the conflict” and must be respected under international law.
The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which operated the compound, described the strike as deliberate. “This was not an accident,” said UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva, adding that the building was in a remote location and clearly marked.
Despite the IDF’s initial dismissal of reports, urging media outlets to avoid “unverified information”, footage verified by the BBC showed UN personnel in blue flak jackets being rushed to a hospital following the blast.
The full findings of the investigation are expected to be made public in coordination with the UN.
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