British bomb disposal expert injured in Gaza

A British bomb disposal expert was injured in an attack on a United Nations facility in the Gaza Strip, according to a charity. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning in Deir al-Balah, and the explosion also resulted in the death of a UN staff member and injuries to five others. The injured expert is affiliated with the Mines Advisory Group.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told the BBC's "Newshour" program that a full investigation into the incident is needed. The Israeli military has denied reports that it attacked the UN compound, stating that the explosion was not caused by Israeli fire. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed in the House of Commons that a British national had been injured and said support was being provided to their family.

Lammy called for a "transparent investigation" into the airstrike and demanded that "those responsible be held accountable." He also added, "We strongly oppose the resumption of hostilities by Israel. We urgently want to see a return to a ceasefire." This comes after Israel stated it would resume fighting in Gaza after a two-month truce, launching a series of attacks that, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the Palestinian territory, have killed more than 400 people.

The injured Briton is an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) expert working for a Manchester-based mine clearance charity. The charity's CEO, Darren Cormack, stated that the man was conducting an explosive hazard assessment at the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) building when the incident occurred. Mr. Cormack said he was initially treated at a hospital in Gaza before being transferred to a hospital in Israel. He also stated that "The UN has confirmed that today's incident did not occur during normal explosive ordnance disposal operations, but was caused by shells being fired or dropped onto the building the team was working in."

Cormack added: "It is shocking that humanitarian facilities are being attacked in this way, and that humanitarian workers are being killed and injured while carrying out their duties. Attacking humanitarian sites is against international law." Oren Marmorstein, a spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, wrote on X: "The circumstances of the incident are under investigation. We emphasize that a preliminary investigation found no connection to IDF activity." The Gaza Health Ministry has blamed Israeli attacks for causing the strike.

Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the United Nations Office for Project Services, said he believed the explosion "was not an accident," adding that the situation in Gaza was "unacceptable." UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called for "restraint" in a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday evening. A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister emphasized his deep concern about the return to fighting and urged Israel to take steps to restrain."

The Gaza war was triggered by a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the capture of 251 people who were taken back to Gaza as prisoners. Israel responded with a large-scale military offensive that, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, has resulted in the deaths of over 48,500 Palestinians and caused widespread destruction to homes and infrastructure.