The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations condemned the killing of a retired Indian Army officer serving with a United Nations agency in Gaza. Officer Col Waibhav Anil Kale, 46, had recently joined as the Security Coordination Officer with the United Nations Department of Safety and Security.
Col Kale, who had taken premature retirement from the Indian Army in 2022, was on a mission with another DSS colleague to the European Hospital in Rafah when the UN vehicle they were travelling in came under attack on Monday morning. While Col Kale died in the attack, the identity of the other person, who has been badly injured, is not known.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said, "“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Col Waibhav Kale, working for the UN Department of Safety and Security in Gaza. Our deepest condolences are with the family during this difficult time."
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas confrontation following the terror attacks on October 7, Kale is the first international UN staff member to die in Gaza. Israel has authorised its own investigation into the incident, while the United Nations has demanded a comprehensive probe.
