Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General on the situation in the Middle East

The Secretary-General is deeply disturbed over yesterday's violent incident outside a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) school in the Gaza Strip, in which one person was killed and eight injured, including two UNRWA schoolchildren. This is the latest of a series of intra-Palestinian clashes that have claimed innocent and unarmed victims. He calls on the Palestinian National Unity Government to exercise its responsibility to ensure law and order, including the protection of humanitarian organizations such as UNRWA that deliver vital services to the people of Gaza.

The Secretary-General also calls on the Palestinian Authority to take all actions needed to halt immediately the firing of rockets against Israeli population centres, which by definition target civilians.