The clearly identified humanitarian workers from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, Palestinian Civil Defence and the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, had been despatched to collect injured people on 23 March in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, when they came under fire from Israeli forces who were advancing in the area, said the UN aid coordination office’s (OCHA) top official in the Palestinian Occupied Territory in a detailed post on X.

Jonathan Whittall said that on the day of the attack, five ambulances, a fire truck – and a clearly marked UN vehicle which arrived following the initial assault – were all hit by Israeli fire, after which contact was lost with teams.

No access for days

“One survivor said Israeli forces had killed both of the crew in his ambulance. For days, OCHA coordinated to reach the site but our access was only granted five days later,” Mr. Whittall said.

When UN staff then travelled to the area they encountered hundreds of civilians fleeing under Israeli fire.

“We witnessed a woman shot in the back of the head. When a young man tried to retrieve her, he too was shot. We were able to recover her body using our UN vehicle,” he added.

‘Devastating scene’

He said aid workers we were finally able to reach the site on Sunday, discovering “a devastating scene: ambulances, the UN vehicle, and fire truck had been crushed and partially buried. After hours of digging, we recovered one body – a civil defence worker beneath his fire truck.”

The Palestine Red Crescent Society – part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – expressed outrage on Sunday over the deaths, adding that a ninth staff member is still missing.

“These dedicated ambulance workers were responding to wounded people…They wore emblems that should have protected them; their ambulances were clearly marked. They should have returned to their families: they did not,” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain.

Humanitarian law ‘could not be clearer’

“Even in the most complex conflict zones, there are rules,” he added. “These rules of International Humanitarian Law could not clearer – civilians must be protected; humanitarians must be protected. Health services must be protected.”

The incident represents the most deadly attack on Red Crescent Red Cross workers since 2017.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said in a post on X Monday that another staffer from his agency had died in addition to the colleague’s body retrieved on Sunday, bringing the total killed to 280 killed since the violence erupted on 7 October 2023.

“Targeting or endangering emergency responders, journalists or humanitarian workers is a flagrant and severe disregard of international law,” he added, noting these killings had become “routine” in Gaza.

Israeli forces said the emergency responders had been fired on after their vehicles “advanced suspiciously”, according to news reports, adding that a Hamas operative had been killed along with “eight other terrorists”.

The attack occurred following the collapse of the fragile two-month ceasefire between Israeli forces and Hamas militants on 18 March. On Monday, Israel issued a new mass evacuation order for the whole of the Rafah region.

‘This should never have happened’

OCHA’s Jonathan Whittall reiterated on Sunday that first responders should never be a target.

“Today, on the first day of Eid, we returned and recovered the buried bodies…They were killed in their uniforms. Driving their clearly marked vehicles. Wearing their gloves. On their way to save lives. This should never have happened.”

The UN Humanitarian Affairs chief, Tom Fletcher, on Monday send condolences to the families of all who had been killed.

“They were killed by Israeli forces while trying to save lives. We demand answers and justice,” he said.

Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator Marcoluigi Corsi expressed the UN’s profound sorry at the immense loss of life stemming from Friday’s 7.7 and 6.4 magnitude quakes with the death toll rising to around 2,000, according to the country’s military junta.

“The latest reports indicate significant loss of life, widespread injuries, and many still unaccounted for as rescue operations continue,” Mr. Corsi said in a statement on behalf of the UN Country Team.

Urgent support operation continues

He stressed that the UN and partners continue to urgently mobilise in support of the emergency response, standing ready to assist all communities “wherever they are”.

The earthquakes struck near Mandalay and Sagaing, with impacts felt across Bago, Magway, Nay Pyi Taw, and parts of Shan State. Hospitals are overwhelmed, while communication and transport routes have been severely disrupted.

Thousands are sleeping in the open, fearful of aftershocks and unable to return to damaged homes.

UN-facilitated rescue teams from around 20 countries, including sniffer dogs, paramedics and medical supplies, supported by millions of dollars in aid, continue to arrive in Myanmar – where millions were already displaced by civil war, arising from the military coup of February 2021.

Resilience further eroded

“Even before this earthquake, nearly 20 million people in Myanmar were in need of humanitarian assistance,” Mr. Corsi emphasized. “This latest tragedy compounds an already dire crisis and risks further eroding the resilience of communities already battered by conflict, displacement, and past disasters.”

The UN Humanitarian Country Team is actively conducting rapid needs assessment missions in coordination with UN agencies, humanitarian partners, local authorities and community-based organizations, paying particular attention to the needs of women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, who are disproportionately affected in such disasters.

“Beyond the immediate response, this crisis highlights the urgent need to strengthen efforts towards recovery and to invest in measures that help communities withstand future shocks,” Mr. Corsi said.

Significant UN presence

An initial $15 million in emergency funds has been allocated by the UN to support the lifesaving response. Medical teams, shelter materials, and critical water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) items are arriving – alongside prepositioned and supplementary food aid.

“We have a significant presence in Mandalay and surrounding areas, and we are doing everything we can to reach people in need despite serious logistical challenges,” Mr. Corsi said. “But much more will be required in the days and weeks ahead.”

More than ever, timely support is critical to prevent further deterioration of the crisis, he added.

The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that it aims to support 100,000 of the worst hit with ready-to-eat meals, following by food and cash-for-food assistance to around 800,000 for the next month.

Ceasefire now: UN Special Envoy

The UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop issued a statement on Monday saying she stands in solidarity with the people of Myanmar.

“The earthquake has laid bare the deeper vulnerabilities facing Myanmar’s people and underscored the need for sustained international attention to the broader crisis.”

Referencing the ongoing conflict which has seen military forces lose control of a majority of the country to opposition armed groups amid brutal fighting and airstrikes, she said that “all sides must urgently allow space for humanitarian relief and ensure that aid workers can operate in safety.”

Continuing military operations in quake-affected areas “risks further loss of life and undermines the shared imperative to respond,” she continued.

Ms. Bishop called for an immediate ceasefire by all parties, to prioritise the rescue, aid and recovery effort, including protection of civilians.

She said she was in close contact with Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher and the UN Country Team in Myanmar who are working in partnership with neighboring countries and others, supported by the UN’s regional and global network. 

According to news reports citing Myanmar’s military leader, around 1,700 are confirmed dead from Friday’s 7.7 magnitude quake, with some 3,400 injured and hundreds still missing.

In the Thai capital Bangkok which was also rocked by the seismic event, 76 construction workers are reportedly still missing following the collapse of an unfinished skyscraper. The death toll there now stands at 17.

The search and rescue effort in Myanmar is focused on the major cities of Mandalay and the capital, Nay Pyi Taw. 

Some survivors continue to be pulled from the rubble and multiple international aid teams have reached the stricken areas – although the aid effort is being hindered due to damage to airports.

Shelter, medicine, water

“People urgently need shelter, medical care, water and sanitation support. This disaster puts more pressure on already vulnerable people facing an alarming crisis,” the UN aid coordination office in the region, OCHA, said on X.

Burmese civilians are also stuck between forces of the military junta and numerous armed militia battling for control of the country since the February 2021 coup. More than three million have been displaced by the fighting.

The National Unity Government which represents the democratically-elected civilian administration overthrown by the coup, called on rebel fighters to observe a two week ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

But the military regime is reportedly continuing to carry out airstrikes, including in areas close to the epicentre of the earthquake.

Call for ‘immediate ceasefire’

The Human Rights Council-appointed independent expert who monitors the situation in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said in a social media post on Sunday that the junta should follow opposition forces and declare an immediate ceasefire.

“Military conscription should be suspended; aid workers should not have to fear arrest and there should be no obstructions to aid getting to where it is most needed. Every minute counts,” he added.

The UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, is one of the agencies on the ground urgently working with partners and local communities to assess critical needs and deliver life-saving aid – particularly for women and girls.

Women and girls face ‘increased risks’

In an update, UNFPA said early assessments highlight significant damage to health facilities, population displacement and the disruption of essential services, including sexual and reproductive healthcare.

“In emergencies like this, women and girls face increased risks, from compromised access to life-saving maternal healthcare to heightened risk of gender-based violence, ” said Jaime Nadal Roig, UNFPA Representative for Myanmar.

“UNFPA is committed to supporting relief efforts, placing the well-being of women and girls – including pregnant women, mothers, and adolescents – at the heart of our humanitarian response efforts.”

UNICEF Myanmar’s Ko Sai, said in a post on X from Mandalay, that the quake was “an absolute catastrophe” for children in the region, with many youngsters and families in Mandalay still missing.

“We need urgent assistance, especially for the children, who often suffer the most in this kind of situation,” he added.

Lifesaving medical supplies

The UN World Health Organization, WHO, has rushed nearly three tonnes of medical supplies from its emergency stockpile in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, to hospitals in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Daw.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in Myanmar, Michael Dunford said in a tweet that the agency carried out its first emergency food distribution in Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday which included high energy biscuits “and we’re about to scale up our assistance.”

WHO on Sunday issued a 30-day flash appeal for $8 million to deliver trauma care, prevent disease outbreaks and restore essential services that have been decimated by the quake. 

Click here to donate to the UN emergency appeal for Myanmar 

The Emergency Relief Coordinator tweeted that UN teams are being “supported by expertise across our global network”.

News reports quoting sources in the Burmese city of Mandalay, close to the epicentre of the quake, indicate that hundreds have died. In neighbouring Thailand more than 80 construction workers are missing, according to the Thai deputy prime minister, with a search and rescue operation underway.

UN chief António Guterres sent condolences to all those in the region impacted and underlined that the UN system is mobilising as fast as possible in support. 

Mr. Fletcher, who heads aid coordination office, OCHA, made an intial allocation from the Central Emergency Response Fund of $5 million to support life-saving assistance.

‘Significant damage’

The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Myanmar told UN News in a statement that reports indicate “significant damage” has occurred in Mandalay state, as well as Nay Pyi Taw, Bago, Magway, Sagaing, Shan “and possibly other areas”.

” Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this event…We are gathering information about the people impacted, infrastructure damage, and immediate humanitarian needs to guide a response and will share more updates as information becomes available.”

Sheela Matthew of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said the quake had hit Myanmar “at the worst possible time. With one in four in the country already facing acute food insecurity, Myanmar just can’t afford another disaster.”

She said WFP has stocks of ready-to-eat food available in warehouses “and we are ready to respond as needed.”

Speaking from Myanmar’s largest city of Yangon, Marie Manrique, Programme Coordinator for the Myanmar country team of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), told journalists at the UN in Geneva that the quake had also been felt in China, Thailand, and India.

She said that beyond damage to buildings and infrastructure, there was concern over potential dam bursts. Electricity and communications have been cut off in parts of the country.

She said the Myanmar Red Cross Society had launched an emergency operation to help people in need and assess the situation.

Myanmar has been in the grip of an increasingly brutal civil war since a military coup more than four years ago. Around 20 million people – a third of the population are expected to need humanitarian assistance this year. Around 15 million are projected to face acute food insecurity during 2025.

Fighting between junta forces and opposition armed groups has displaced more than 3.5 million people within the country.

Aid operation underway

Speaking for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Dr. Margaret Harris said relief efforts were underway in coordination with country offices in Myanmar and Thailand.

She said the agency had activated its logistics hub in Dubai to primarily provide trauma supplies and a health needs assessment is underway.

Babar Baloch, for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said that the central and northwest parts of Myanmar had the highest number of internally displaced people (IDPs) due to the conflict.

Some 1.6 million IDPs out of the total 3.5 million live in these areas and the catastrophe will only exacerbate hardships, he told journalists.

More to come on this developing story…