UN flags at half-mast, minute silence observed for staff killed in Gaza

United Nations workers observed a minute's silence to honour the 101 employees killed in Gaza since Israel's war on Gaza began last month, the largest toll of humanitarian workers in the organisation's 78-year history.

The Staff at UN offices in Geneva bowed their heads as a candle was lit in memory of the 101 employees of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA killed in the Israeli assaults on Gaza.

The blue and white United Nations flag was first lowered at 9:30 am local time at offices in Bangkok, Tokyo and Beijing, and later, other UN offices followed suit.

"This is the highest number of aid workers killed in the history of our organisation in such a short time," said Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the UN office in Geneva, on Monday.

"We are gathered here today, united in this very symbolic location, to pay respect to our brave colleagues who sacrificed their lives while serving under the United Nations flag."

UNRWA has said that some staff members were killed while queuing for bread while others were killed along with their families in their homes in Israel's aerial and ground war in Gaza.

"UNRWA staff in Gaza appreciate the UN lowering the flag around the world," Tom White, director of UNRWA in Gaza, said in a statement.

"In Gaza however, we have to keep the UN flag flying high as a sign that we are still standing and serving the people of Gaza."

"I would like to say that we are really facing very challenging times for multilateralism, for the world," Valovaya said. "But the United Nations is more relevant than ever."

Established in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war, UNRWA provides public services including schools, healthcare and aid. Many of UNRWA's 5,000 staff working in Gaza are Palestinian refugees themselves.