Rockets found at UN Gaza school went missing

Image
AP United Nations
Last Updated : Jul 24 2014 | 8:14 AM IST
The UN secretary-general has said he was "alarmed" to hear that rockets were placed in a UN-run school in Gaza and now "have gone missing," and he demanded a full review of such incidents.
A statement by the spokesman for Ban Ki-moon expressed the UN chief's "outrage and regret" at the placement of weapons at a site run by the global organization. The UN says that has happened at least twice so far in the current fighting.
"Those responsible are turning schools into potential military targets, and endangering the lives of innocent children," UN staff and anyone seeking shelter, the statement said.
The rockets had been placed at one of the schools run by the UN refugee agency for Palestinians, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza.
Once they were found, "in accordance with standard practice, UNRWA handed them over to the local authorities. Since then, they have gone missing," Ban's deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, said in an e-mail yesterday evening.
The Islamic militant group Hamas controls Gaza. The US, Israel and the European Union all consider Hamas a terrorist organization, but the UN does not.
A week ago, UNRWA said that during a routine check it discovered about 20 rockets hidden in one of its vacant Gaza schools and called on militants to respect the "sanctity and integrity" of UN property. It said the incident was "the first of its kind in Gaza.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jul 24 2014 | 8:14 AM IST

Next Story