Safety Concerns Prompt U.N. Staff Reduction in Gaza

The United Nations is reducing its international staff in Gaza by about a third due to safety concerns. This decision, affecting around 30 out of 100 staff, includes personnel from the World Food Programme, World Health Organization, and the U.N. children's agency.

The United Nations has announced a significant reduction in its Gaza-based international staff due to escalating safety risks, according to a statement made by a U.N. spokesperson on Tuesday.

This decision, as elaborated by spokesperson Alessandra Vellucci during a Geneva press briefing, aims to decrease the number of international staff by approximately one third, impacting around 30 of the total 100 personnel currently stationed.

The move affects various U.N. agencies, including the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, and the U.N. children's agency, as the lack of guaranteed safety for staff has become a major concern for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

(With inputs from agencies.)