UNITED NATIONS, August 3 (RIA Novosti) - After at least ten Palestinians were killed in a shelling outside a UN run school in Rafa in southern Gaza, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday said that “this attack, along with other breaches of international law, must be swiftly investigated and those responsible held accountable. It is a moral outrage and a criminal act.”
The UN Relief and Works Agency has called on Israel to conduct an investigation of the shelling of its school in Jabalya. Ban on Sunday repeated his “demand to the parties to immediately end the fighting and return to the path of peace. This madness must stop.”
Ban said he is “profoundly dismayed over the appalling escalation of violence and loss of hundreds of Palestinian civilian life since the breach of the humanitarian ceasefire on 1 August. The resurgence in fighting has only exacerbated the man-made humanitarian and health crisis wreaking havoc in Gaza.”
The UN has said that one-third of hospitals, 14 primary healthcare clinics and 29 Palestinian Red Crescent and Ministry of Health ambulances have been damaged in the fighting.
Speaking on the shelling of Gaza schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency, Ban said: “United Nations shelters must be safe zones not combat zones. The Israel Defence Forces have been repeatedly informed of the location of these sites.”
Ban concluded, “Restoring calm can be achieved through resumption of the ceasefire and negotiations by the parties in Cairo to address the underlying issues.”
Israeli authorities said Saturday that they would not send their representatives for the talks.
