Israel pays damages to U.N.

United Nations: A year after the Gaza war, Israel has paid the United Nations $10.5 million as compensation for damaging its offices during an attack by its defence forces on Hamas.

The U.N. main centre in Gaza, which had hundred tonnes of food and medicine, and three schools run by the world forum for Palestinian children were damaged in an attack on Hamas by the Israeli forces that lasted from December 27, 2008 to January 19, 2009.

The U.N. Headquarters Board of Inquiry held discussions with Israel over the amount of compensation for the attack, following which “an arrangement was finalised between the U.N. and Israel”.

“Pursuant to that arrangement, Israeli government has made a payment of $10.5 million to the U.N. in respect of the losses sustained by it in the incidents that were investigated by the U.N. Headquarters Board of Inquiry early last year,” U.N. spokesperson Martin Nesirky told reporters here. — PTI