Bulgaria Demands Compensation from Israel over Killed UN Staffer in Gaza

April 25, 2025 | 08:18 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bulgaria will demand compensation from Israel for the family of a Bulgarian UN staffer who was killed in Gaza last month, said Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev on Thursday, as reported by BTA news agency quoted by Anadolu.

“I would like once again to express my deepest condolences and sympathy to the family's grief for their grave loss,” Georgiev said.

He added that Bulgaria had received an official apology from Israel for the death of its citizen.

He said such tragedies should not be repeated, adding that the protection of humanitarian workers is of the highest importance, and the international community must ensure their safety and freedom to carry out their duties in accordance with international law.

Georgiev demanded the resumption of a ceasefire in Gaza, further prevention of civilian casualties, and the immediate release of hostages.

The statement came after Israel confirmed that the explosion on March 19 in Deir al-Balah City, Gaza Strip, which killed Marin Marinov, was caused by gunfire released by an Israeli tank.

As reported by Al Arabiya, Israeli tank strike killed a UN staffer in Gaza last month, according to the initial findings of an investigation released Thursday by the Israeli military, which initially denied operating in the area.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) announced on March 19 the death of one of its employees in the middle of Gaza City Deir al-Balah when their building was hit by a detonation.

“According to the findings collected so far, the examination indicates that the fatality was caused by tank fire from IDF (Israeli military) troops operating in the area. The building was struck due to assessed enemy presence and was not identified by the forces as a UN facility,” the military statement said, referring to the incident on March 19.

In their statement on Thursday, the Israeli military said that they "regret this serious incident and continue to conduct thorough review processes … to prevent such events in the future."

"We express our deep sorrow for the loss and send our condolences to the family."

The military said they had conveyed their initial findings to the UN. The latest investigative findings come after the Israeli military reported a separate investigation into the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza last Sunday. The Israeli military acknowledged that errors led to their deaths and said a field commander would be dismissed.

Israel resumed its attacks in Gaza on March 18, nearly two months after the ceasefire on January 19. The attacks have killed more than 51,400 Palestinians in the enclave since October 2023, most of whom were women and children.

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