Gaza war: Former Indian Army officer working with UN killed in attack in Rafah

Waibhav Anil Kale belonged to the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment and had taken retirement two years ago to join the organisation

A retired Indian Army officer working for the United Nations (UN) in Gaza has been killed while travelling in a vehicle to a hospital in the Khan Younis area from the Rafah region.

The Indian staffer Waibhav Anil Kale, 46 had been working for the UN Department of Safety and Security in Gaza.

Kale belonged to the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles Regiment of the Indian Army and had taken retirement two years ago to join the UN. His family is in Pune, in the west Indian state of Maharashtra.

The Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, on Tuesday, expressed their condolences to his family during this difficult time.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Col Vaibhav Kale, working for the UN Department of Safety and Security in Gaza. Our deepest condolences are with the family during this difficult time,” they shared on X.

The United Nations, on Tuesday, expressed condolences. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, in a statement, condoled the death of the Indian national.

“The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the death of a United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS) staff member and injury to another DSS staffer when their UN vehicle was struck as they travelled to the European Hospital in Rafah this morning,” the UN said in a statement.

According to the statement of the UN official, Waibhav Anil Kale joined the United Nations as the security service coordinator a month ago in Gaza.

Moreover, the Secretary-General condemned all such attacks on the UN personnel, calling for a full investigation.

“The Secretary-General condemns all attacks on UN personnel and calls for a full investigation. He sends his condolences to the family of the fallen staff member,” the statement read.