United Nations (UN) employees and officials in various parts of Asia observed a moment of silence on Monday (Nov 13) to remember their colleagues who died in Gaza as a result of Israeli attacks, as reported by Anadolu Agency.
In a show of respect for their fallen coworkers, the UN offices also lowered their flags in remembrance of the deceased, according to Anadolu Agency.
“UN staff in Afghanistan held a minute of silence and the UN flag was lowered to half-mast as we mourn the loss of more than 100 colleagues in Gaza – the largest number of UN aid workers killed in a conflict in the history of our organization,” stated the UN office in Afghanistan.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) recently announced that 99 of its staff members have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israel-Palestine conflict on Oct 7.
Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of UNRWA, expressed the agency’s pain at the International Humanitarian Conference for Civilians in Gaza in France, noting the unprecedented loss of 99 colleagues in such a short period of time.
UN officials in Bangkok, Thailand, also convened at the office complex to pay tribute to their deceased colleagues.
“A moment of silence at the UN (office) in Bangkok today with the UN Flag being lowered to half-mast as we mourn and honour our colleagues who have lost their lives in Gaza,” the office shared on X (formerly known as Twitter).
According to the government media office in Gaza, the death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks has exceeded 11,100 since Oct 7, with more than 8,000 women and children among the casualties as of Sunday (Nov 12). – Bernama-Anadolu
A moment of silence at the @UN in Bangkok today with the UN Flag being lowered to half-mast as we mourn and honour our colleagues who have lost their lives in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/3n01RsqVa0
— United Nations in Thailand (@UNThailand) November 13, 2023
