UN Compound in Gaza Damaged, Worker Killed Amid Renewed Israeli Strikes
A United Nations worker has been killed and others wounded after a UN compound in Gaza was damaged on Wednesday, the UN reported. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
The Hamas-led health ministry in the Palestinian territory attributed the incident to an Israeli strike, stating that five critically injured foreign workers were hospitalized. The Israeli military denied targeting the UN facility in Deir al-Balah.
This event occurred as Israel announced the resumption of combat operations in Gaza following a two-month cessation of hostilities. A series of strikes have reportedly resulted in over 400 fatalities, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Tuesday that Israel had “recommenced combat at full strength.”
Details of the UN Incident
Initially, the UN reported two fatalities among its staff but later clarified that the second deceased individual was not a UN employee.
The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) indicated that an “explosive ordnance was either dropped or fired” at the building, which was situated in a “remote” area.
UNOPS confirmed there was no immediate verification of the specifics of the event or the type of weapon used.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, UNOPS executive director, characterized the event as “not accidental,” emphasizing that “UN personnel and properties must be safeguarded by all parties involved.”
BBC-verified footage depicted injured individuals, some wearing blue UN vests, being transported by ambulance and UN vehicles to a hospital.
Escalation of Violence Across Gaza
In separate incidents, at least 20 individuals perished in overnight air raids throughout Gaza, following Israel’s announcement of renewed fighting in the Palestinian territory.
The Palestinian Wafa news agency, citing Red Crescent medics, reported that two civilians were killed and five others injured when an Israeli drone struck a tent near the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone.
The Israeli army stated it had targeted what it described as a Hamas military site used for launching attacks against Israel. Hamas-controlled vessels were also reportedly hit.
While the intensity of the current bombardment is not yet comparable to Tuesday’s levels, it signals a continued and unabated Israeli offensive.
Tom Fletcher, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, described Tuesday’s strikes as having reached an “unprecedented scale of killings.”
Wafa news agency reported the deaths of a woman and child in an air strike north of Khan Younis and four additional fatalities in a Gaza City strike.
Gaza’s health ministry confirmed that 436 individuals, including 183 children, have been killed in strikes since Tuesday.
Tuesday’s strikes were the most intense since a fragile ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement took effect on January 19, following unsuccessful attempts by Israel and Hamas to extend the initial phase of the truce.
The agreement comprises three phases, with negotiations for the second phase, including Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza, originally scheduled to commence six weeks prior but did not materialize.
Instead of progressing to the second phase, Israel and the US advocated for an extension of the initial phase, proposing further hostage releases in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Netanyahu framed the resumption of fighting as a restoration of Israel’s primary objectives: securing hostage release and eliminating Hamas. However, families of hostages have criticized this decision, suggesting the government has abandoned hope for their loved ones.
Thousands of Israelis demonstrated in Jerusalem, accusing Netanyahu of jeopardizing democracy and restarting the Gaza offensive with disregard for the hostages’ well-being.
Israel claims Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, with 24 believed to be alive.
International Response and Humanitarian Concerns
Egypt, a mediator in ongoing discussions, condemned the renewed strikes as a “clear” breach of the ceasefire.
Israel had previously imposed a complete halt on humanitarian aid to Gaza, triggering widespread international concern.
Mr. Fletcher, speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today program, stated: “For two weeks, our food supplies are decaying at the borders, medicines are expiring, and water and power have been cut off – all aimed at further punishing civilians.”
He mentioned addressing the UN Security Council on Tuesday to advocate for lifting the blockade and reinstating the ceasefire agreement, including hostage releases.
The UN official emphasized: “I’m not demanding the impossible here.”
He affirmed his team’s continued presence in Gaza, driven by a “determination to do everything possible to save as many survivors as we can.”
Mr. Fletcher further questioned global values, asking, “What does it reflect about our values if we cannot halt a 21st-century atrocity unfolding before our eyes – an atrocity not only occurring but being openly celebrated?”
Hamas and Islamic Jihad Casualties
Hamas has acknowledged the deaths of several of its leaders in Tuesday’s strikes, including Essam a-Da’lees, its de facto head of government.
Islamic Jihad confirmed the death of Abu Hamza, a prominent spokesperson for its armed wing, who participated in the October 7, 2023 attack that initiated the current conflict.
Reports indicate that numerous civilians, including scores of children, are among the casualties.
Regional mediators are reportedly urging Hamas to release some of the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for de-escalation.
However, Netanyahu has asserted that future ceasefire negotiations will proceed “under fire.”
The October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the capture of 251 hostages, with 25 released alive during the initial ceasefire phase.
Israel’s subsequent large-scale military operation has resulted in over 48,500 Palestinian fatalities, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, along with widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.