Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd), an Indian national working with the UN in Gaza, was killed on Monday when his vehicle was hit by shots fired from an Israeli tank. The incident occurred in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, and Kale was rushed to a hospital in the area but later succumbed to his injuries.
Kale, who had retired from the Indian Army in 2022, was working with the UN Department of Safety and Security (DSS). He was on a mission to provide security coordination support to the UN presence in Gaza.
The UN has confirmed that the shots that killed Kale came from an Israeli tank, and has established a fact-finding panel to investigate the incident. UN chief António Guterres expressed sadness at Kale’s death and condemned all attacks on UN personnel.
Kale is survived by his wife and two children. He is the first international casualty for the UN in Gaza since 2014, and his death has been met with widespread condemnation by senior UN officials and other world leaders.
