Middle East
11 UN staff, 30 students at UN schools killed In Gaza: Spokesman
At least eleven UN staff and personnel, as well as 30 students at UN schools, have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Hamas militants launched their attack on Israel, AFP news reported quoting a spokesman on Wednesday.
“11 UNRWA staff and personnel have been killed since Saturday,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, referring to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees which also runs schools in Gaza.
“30 UNRWA students have also been killed and another eight have been injured.”
The dead included five teachers, a gynecologist, an engineer, a counselor and three support staff, UNRWA’s deputy director Jennifer Austin said in a statement.
“UNRWA mourns this loss and is grieving with our colleagues and the families,” she said.
“UN staff and civilians must be protected at all times during conflict. We call for the fighting to come to an end to spare more civilian lives lost.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called for civilians to be protected, and international humanitarian law to be upheld, as Israel on Wednesday kept up its bombardment of Hamas targets in Gaza.
“About 220,000 Palestinians are now sheltering in 92 UNRWA facilities across Gaza,” he said, adding that UN premises, hospitals, clinics and schools must “never be targeted.”
“UN staff are working around the clock to support the people of Gaza and I deeply regret that some of my colleagues have already paid the ultimate price,” he said.
And he called for “crucial” aid — including fuel, food and water — to be allowed in to the Gaza Strip.
“We need rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access now.” AFP
Israel and Hamas initiated a four-day ceasefire beginning on Friday. During this period, the militants are scheduled to release 13 Israeli women and child hostages later in the day, and aid is expected to enter the besieged Gaza enclave. This marks the first temporary halt in the nearly seven-week-long conflict, Al-Arabiya reported.
The truce began at 7 a.m. (0500 GMT), involving a omprehensive ceasefire in north and south Gaza, and was to be followed by the release of some of the more than 200 hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack inside Israel, mediators in Qatar said. A number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons were to be freed in exchange.
As of Monday, authorities in Gaza reported that the death toll resulting from the continuous Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7 has surpassed 13,300.
Also Read: First-ever cinema opens in Madinah Saudi Arabia
In a statement cited by Anadolu agency, the Gaza-based government media office said the death toll includes 5,600 children and 3,550 women.
It added that the death toll also includes 201 medical staff, 22 members of civil defense rescue teams, and 60 journalists.
Since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques, and churches, have also been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s air and ground attacks on the besieged enclave.
The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is around 1,200, according to official figures.
The inauguration of Empire Cinema’s multiplex in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, marks a historic moment as the city’s first-ever cinema, situated within the Al-Rashid Mall. Featuring 10 screens and 764 seats, including a dedicated children’s theater and play area, this branch signifies Empire Cinemas’ 10th complex in the country.
CEO Gino Haddad expressed that this expansion is a significant step in their Saudi presence.
The lifting of the cinema ban in 2018 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman under Vision 2030 aimed at enhancing the quality of life and diversifying the economy.
AMC Entertainment became the first operating cinema in 35 years, followed by Saudi Arabia’s substantial investments in the entertainment sector, including a $100 million film fund announced at the Cannes Film Festival.
Recent reports from the Ministry of Commerce highlight a 28% growth in the Saudi cinema industry in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year. Predictions from PwC Middle East suggest that Saudi Arabia’s cinema revenue could reach $1.5 billion by 2030.
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