In a recent military operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted a Hamas command center in Nuseirat, central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of several militants, including at least three United Nations (UN) workers who were also affiliated with Hamas. This incident, which took place on September 12, has sparked outrage and condemnation from the United Nations and various global entities. However, Israel maintains that the strike was a necessary counterterrorism measure aimed at Hamas operatives embedded within civilian infrastructure.
The IDF's strike was conducted on a facility that had formerly served as a school and later converted into a shelter. The IDF reported that Hamas had been using the site for military purposes, a common tactic by the terror group, which is known for utilizing civilian structures, including schools and hospitals, to shield its operatives and weaponry.
IDF just obliterated a serious Hezbollah position pic.twitter.com/UTmhQZ7rTu
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 12, 2024
In response to the attack, the IDF released a list of the terrorists eliminated in the strike, confirming that among them were Muhammad Adnan Abu Zayd, Bassem Majed Shaheen, and Ayad Matar. All three had been working as employees for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which has faced longstanding accusations of being infiltrated by Hamas operatives. According to Israel, Abu Zayd had a history of launching mortars at Israeli troops, while Shaheen was involved in the October 7 massacre in southern Israel.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres quickly condemned the strike, calling it a violation of international humanitarian law, especially as the location was housing thousands of displaced Palestinians. Guterres stated that six UN staff members were killed in the attack, but Israel's rebuttal emphasized that these individuals were not mere aid workers but active participants in Hamas’s military operations.
BREAKING 🚨🚨🚨
GREAT NEWS!
IDF eliminated the Rafah commander who killed the six Israeli and American hostages pic.twitter.com/uFPHfvrdgH
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) September 10, 2024
Hamas, for its part, denied using the shelter for military purposes and accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians. However, Israel has consistently accused Hamas of using human shields, a strategy the terror group has employed throughout the ongoing conflict. The UN has acknowledged that Gaza, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, has become increasingly dangerous for humanitarian workers, with both militants and civilians suffering from Israeli airstrikes.
This strike is part of Israel’s broader campaign against Hamas, which began after the group’s surprise attack on Israel in October 2023, killing over 1,200 Israelis and taking hundreds of hostages. The conflict has since escalated, with tens of thousands killed, according to Palestinian health officials, although these numbers often include both militants and civilians.
Israel has been firm in defending its actions, pointing out that precision-guided munitions were used in the strike to minimize civilian casualties. The IDF claims to have repeatedly requested the names of the UN workers allegedly killed in the strike from UNRWA, but the agency has yet to provide this information. Israel continues to assert that its operations are necessary to dismantle Hamas’s terrorist infrastructure, despite the outcry from the international community.
As the war grinds on, humanitarian conditions in Gaza remain dire, with large-scale displacement, ongoing hostilities, and a lack of a clear path to peace. Efforts by mediators from Qatar and Egypt to broker a truce have stalled, with both Hamas and Israel entrenching their positions.
