Deeply saddened by the loss of Col Waibhav Kale: Permanent Mission of India to the UN

UNITED NATION: The Permanent Mission of India to the UN on Tuesday condoled the death of a former Indian Army officer working with a UN agency in Gaza when the UN vehicle he was travelling in came under attack in war-torn Rafah.

Col Waibhav Anil Kale, 46, who took premature retirement from the Indian Army in 2022, joined the UN as a Security Coordination Officer in the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS) two months ago.

Kale, who had served with the 11 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles, was travelling along with another DSS staffer to the European Hospital in Rafah when their UN vehicle was struck on Monday morning. The other person, not identified, was seriously injured.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Col Waibhav Kale, working for the UN Department of Safety and Security in Gaza. Our deepest condolences are with the family during this difficult time,” The Permanent Mission of India to the UN said in a post on X Tuesday.

Kale is the first casualty among international UN staff in Gaza since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict following the October 7 terror attacks. The United Nations has called for a full investigation while Israel has ordered a separate investigation into the attack.