8 August 2014. The United Nations flag was flying at half-mast at the world organization´s headquarters in New York in memory of staff members killed in Gaza. Staff members in offices all over the world (including UNRIC, photo) observed one minute of silence in memory of the 11 UNRWA staff members killed since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza on 8 July, and in solidarity with the families and friends of those injured.

“We are honoured and touched by the many expressions of sympathy and actions of support we have witnessed,” said UNRWA Commissioner General, Pierre Krähenbühl.

The sad loss of life of UN staff, however, pales in comparison to the number of deaths, notably of civilians and children in the conflict. Search and rescue workers are still retrieving bodies from previously inaccessible areas, but according to figures from the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) from 6 August those who have died in the conflict in Gaza, are overwhelmingly civilian Palestinians:

 

1890 Palestinians.

Men: 1030

Civilians 671
Militants: 166
Unknown: 193

Women: 219

Civilians: 218
Unknown: 1

Children:

Boys
Civilian: 246
Militants: 2

Unknown: 5

Civilian girls: 161

66 Israelis

Civilians: 2
Soldiers: 64

One civilian foreigner.

Photo: UNRIC staff observes one minute of silence. UNRIC/Jorge Varas Mardones.