Global General

UN chief condemns attacks on a recreational facility in Gaza

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-29 00:51

UNTIED NATIONS - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned an?attack on a recreational facility used by children in Gaza, and called for efforts to bring the attackers to justice. ?

The secretary-general voiced his condemnation in a statement issued here by his spokesman Martin Nesirky.

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"The secretary-general condemns the vandalism last night by masked armed men of an UNRWA summer games facility in the Gaza Strip," the statement said. ?"He is very concerned that this is the second such incident in a month. Such attacks are an assault upon the well-being of Gaza's children, 250,000 of whom attend UNRWA's summer games for recreation and education as well as a respite from the difficulties of everyday life in the Strip."

"The secretary-general calls upon the de-facto authorities to combat any incitement against United Nations operations, and ensure the safety of UNRWA and other UN personnel and programs, serving the most vulnerable in Gaza," the statement said. "He calls for those responsible for these incidents to be brought to justice."

Earlier on Monday, a group of about 25 armed and masked men attacked and set fire to the facility on the beach in Nuseirat that was being used to host the Summer Games, run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

No one was hurt in the incident, which follows a similar attack on May 23 when a group of 30 armed and masked men attacked and set fire to an UNRWA Summer Games facility that was under construction on the beach in Gaza City. ?

The secretary-general has called the Summer Games, which is in its fourth year, "a rare opportunity for relief from the deprivations and difficulties of everyday life in Gaza," which has suffered from a three-year-long blockade imposed by Israel for what it called security reasons after Hamas took power there in 2007. ?

John Ging, UNRWA's director of operations in Gaza said the attack will not deter UNRWA from continuing with the annual event, which is the largest recreation Program for Gaza's children providing, among others, sports, swimming, arts and crafts, and drama.

"Cowardly and despicable" is how Ging described the attack, saying "The overwhelming success of UNRWA's Summer Games has once again obviously frustrated those that are intolerant of children' s happiness."

"UNRWA will rebuild the camp immediately and will continue with its Summer Games program which is so important for the physical and psychological well-being of Gaza's children, so many of whom are stressed and traumatized by their circumstances and experiences," he said.

"This is another example of the growing levels of extremism in Gaza and further evidence, if that were needed, of the urgency to change the circumstances on the ground that are generating such extremism," he added.

The Summer Games began on June 12 and will run through August 5, providing 1,200 summer camps for more than 250,000 refugee children across Gaza.