ROME (AP) 鈥� An Israeli airstrike last month demolished the top floor of a guest house in Gaza where World Food Program international staff were staying, the U.N. agency鈥檚 director said Thursday, calling the situation 鈥渋mpossibly dangerous鈥� for aid workers trying to feed the Palestinian population.
The previously undisclosed incident occurred Aug. 31 in the Nuseirat refugee camp, just days after WFP temporarily stopped aid deliveries to northern Gaza and halted staff movements when its team came under fire near an Israel checkpoint.
鈥淚t was always dangerous before. It鈥檚 become impossibly dangerous now,鈥欌�� McCain said.
The World Food Program is in touch with the Israeli Defense Force over the strike on the house where 11 U.N. employees, including 10 WFP staff, were staying. None was injured and they have been evacuated to Jordan, where McCain met with them this week.
The Israeli army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
McCain said she has a simple message for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: 鈥淐ease-fire, please. Cease fire! Stop! We need to feed these people,'' she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just food. ... It鈥檚 water and sanitation also.鈥�
While she and staff remain committed to their mission in Gaza, 鈥淲e鈥檙e right on the edge as to whether we even stay in there,鈥欌�� McCain said. 鈥淚 want to stay in there. I鈥檓 not suggesting we鈥檙e going to pull out. But I have to take a look at what I am asking my people to do.鈥�
She emphasized the difficulty of operating in a so-called deconflicted zone that was supposed to be safe for humanitarian workers to operate.
Israel forces "are hitting places where we鈥檝e been told it was safe, we have been told have been deconflicted and that refugees were safe. And it鈥檚 not the case. It鈥檚 not,鈥� she said.
Trisha Thomas, The Associated Press
