The United Nations has reported that one of its workers was killed and others injured after a compound in Gaza was damaged on Wednesday. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza attributed the damage to an Israeli strike, stating that five critically injured foreign workers were taken to a hospital. However, Israel's military denied targeting the UN compound in Deir al-Balah.
The incident occurred as Israel resumed its military operations in Gaza after a two-month ceasefire, launching a series of strikes that, according to Gaza's health ministry, have killed more than 400 people. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the renewed offensive, stating that Israel had "resumed combat in full force."
Expanding Ground Operations
On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced an expansion of ground operations in Gaza, moving up to the Netzarim corridor, which separates the northern and southern parts of the enclave. The military said the maneuver aimed to "create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza."
Initially, the UN reported two staff members had been killed, but it later clarified that only one was a UN worker. The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) stated that an "explosive ordnance was dropped or fired" at the building, which was in an "isolated" area. However, the organization could not confirm the nature of the incident or the type of weapon used.
Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of UNOPS, described the attack as "not an accident" and emphasized that "UN personnel and its premises must be protected by all sides." UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the incident, with a spokesperson calling for a full investigation.
Footage verified by the BBC showed injured individuals, some wearing blue UN flak jackets, being transported to a hospital by ambulance and UN vehicles.
Continued Airstrikes Across Gaza
Separately, at least 20 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes overnight. The Palestinian Wafa news agency, citing Red Crescent medics, reported that an Israeli drone strike near the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone killed two civilians and injured five others.
The Israeli military stated that its attacks targeted a Hamas military site and vessels allegedly controlled by the group. While the bombardment has not reached the scale of Tuesday’s strikes, the offensive continues with no signs of de-escalation.
Tom Fletcher, the UN's under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, described the situation as worsening, stating, "The intensity of the killings is now off the scale."
According to Wafa, an airstrike north of Khan Younis killed a woman and child, while four others died in a strike on Gaza City. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reported that 436 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since Tuesday, including 183 children.
Tuesday’s attacks marked the most intense bombardment since a fragile ceasefire and hostage exchange deal began on January 19. The renewed violence followed failed negotiations between Israel and Hamas on extending the ceasefire.
Hostage Negotiations and Political Fallout
The ceasefire deal included three phases, but discussions on the second phase, which would have involved Israel withdrawing troops from Gaza, never took place. Instead, Israel and the U.S. pushed for an extension of the first phase, involving further hostage-prisoner exchanges.
Netanyahu justified the renewed offensive as a means to "return the hostages" and "get rid" of Hamas. However, families of hostages criticized the decision, accusing the Israeli government of abandoning their loved ones.
In Jerusalem, thousands of Israelis protested, condemning Netanyahu’s government for undermining democracy and continuing the military campaign despite the hostage crisis.
Hamas is believed to be holding 59 Israeli hostages, with 24 reportedly still alive. Egypt, a key mediator, condemned Israel’s latest strikes as a "blatant" violation of the ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Israel has tightened restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, drawing international criticism. Fletcher warned that aid supplies were rotting at the border, with food, medicine, and water increasingly scarce. "I'm not asking for the moon here," he told BBC Radio 4, urging efforts to restart ceasefire talks.
Despite the violence, the UN remains committed to its mission in Gaza. "They’re saying to us: What does it say about our values that we can't stop a 21st-century atrocity happening before our eyes?" Fletcher said.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad Leaders Killed
Hamas has confirmed that several of its leaders were killed in Tuesday’s strikes, including Essam a-Da'lees, the head of its de facto government.
Islamic Jihad, another armed group involved in the October 7 attack on Israel, announced the death of its prominent spokesperson, Abu Hamza.
While Israel claims its operations target Hamas militants, many civilians, including children, are among the dead. Regional mediators are now pushing for Hamas to release hostages in exchange for de-escalation.
However, Netanyahu has declared that all future ceasefire negotiations will occur "under fire."
The October 7 attack by Hamas killed around 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of 251 hostages. Since then, Israel’s military campaign has killed more than 48,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and caused widespread destruction.