United Nations Mourns More Than 100 Staffers Killed in Gaza, Lowers Flags to Half Staff

United Nations Flags Lowered Worldwide to Mourn Colleagues Killed in Gaza

United Nations offices worldwide paid tribute to over 100 colleagues who were killed in Gaza since Israel declared war on Hamas last month. The flags were lowered to half-staff at 9:30 a.m. local time in several locations, with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres leading a moment of silence in New York.

The only place where flags were not lowered was Gaza itself, where the U.N. Relief and Works Agency staff kept the flag flying high as a symbol of their commitment to serving the people of Gaza. Guterres tweeted a photograph of U.N. officials standing motionless with their heads bowed, paying tribute to the fallen colleagues.

The U.N. Director-General in Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya, called the situation the highest number of aid workers killed in the history of the organization in a short time. She and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus paid homage to the fallen colleagues, highlighting their dedication to peace, justice, and the well-being of others.

Gaza has been under siege since Hamas militants attacked Israel, leading to more than 11,000 people being killed in the territory since the airstrikes began.