UN confirms shots fired from tank hit vehicle of former Indian Army officer in Rafah

In a tragic incident in the Gaza Strip’s Rafah, a United Nations vehicle carrying two passengers, including a retired Indian Army officer, was hit by shots from a tank operating in the area. The senior official of the UN confirmed that Colonel (retired) Waibhav Anil Kale was killed in the strike, while a female staff member of the UN’s Department of Safety and Security (DSS) is receiving medical attention.

Colonel Kale, who had opted for premature retirement from the Indian Army in 2022, had joined the UN just two months ago as a Security Coordinator. The UN Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, stated that the shots came from an Israeli tank, as confirmed by discussions with Israeli authorities. The UN has initiated a fact-finding panel to investigate the attack.

This incident marks the UN’s “first international casualty” in Gaza, highlighting the dangerous conditions in the region. The Israeli military, in an initial inquiry, indicated that the vehicle was hit in an “active combat zone” where the IDF was not informed of the vehicle’s route.

The IDF recently launched an offensive in Rafah against Hamas, the group responsible for previous terrorist attacks in Israel. The circumstances surrounding the attack are still under investigation, as the UN and Israeli authorities work to determine the exact nature of the incident. This tragic event underscores the ongoing tensions and risks faced by international personnel in conflict zones.