Press-Secretary for UN Near East Agency Bursts Into Tears During Interview

RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, August 02 (RIA Novosti) – Spokesman for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Christopher Gunness started crying right in the middle of a live interview with Al Jazzera when speaking about Palestinian children.

Gunness couldn’t fight back the tears, describing the attack on the UN school in the Gaza Strip.

It was the sixth time one of the UN schools has been struck in Gaza fighting, according to earlier comments made by the spokesman via Twitter.

“The rights of the Palestinians even of theirchildren are wholesale denied and it’s appalling,” Gunness said before breaking down.

Later the spokesman said on his official Twitter page that “tears speak more eloquently than words,” adding that his own emotions “pale into insignificance” compared with Gaza’s.”

[youtube_sc url= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm4WT3z1K9c&w=560&h=315]

“UNRWA is overwhelmed in Gaza,” Gunness said. “We have reached a breaking point, our staff are being killed, our [refugee] shelters overflowing. Where will it end?”

Israel launched Operation Protective Edge to put an end to rocket fire from Gaza on July 8. On July 17, the Israeli Army switched to a ground assault largely aimed at locating and destroying rocket launchers and underground tunnels. The ceasefire allowed Israel to continue the destruction of tunnels that Palestinian militants use tosmuggle arms and secretly enter Israeli territory.

More than 1,400 Palestinians and nearly 60 Israelis have been killed since the offensive began.