The Hamas-occupied Gaza health ministry said an Israeli attack on a UN facility killed a foreign UN employee and left five others severely injured. But the Israeli military denied striking any UN building.
A ministry statement asserted, “one fatality and five critical injuries among foreign employees working with UN institutions… as a result of the shelling of their headquarters by the occupation in the central governorate a while back.” The injured were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, though AFP was not able to corroborate the claims with the United Nations.
AFPTV video from Deir el-Balah captured UN-marked cars and ambulances carrying three wounded people to Al-Aqsa Hospital. Two of them were wearing bulletproof jackets, and one had a UNMAS T-shirt. Within the hospital, video captured two men with injuries to their legs and a third with bandages on his arms, stomach, and signs of blood stains on his chest.
At the same time, the Israeli military denied the allegations, saying, “Contrary to reports, the IDF (military) did not attack a UN compound in Deir el-Balah.” A military spokesperson went on to add, “I confirm there was no IDF operational activity there and that the IDF didn’t attack the UN compound.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Gaza’s civil defense authority reported that 13 individuals have been reported dead in Israeli airstrikes since midnight. The airstrikes came after a large-scale overnight attack between Monday and Tuesday, one of the most lethal attacks since a truce was signed on January 19.
At least 400 individuals died during the bombings overnight, reported Gaza’s health ministry, making it one of the most lethal days since the war erupted on October 7, 2023, after Hamas launched an attack on Israel. The ministry revised its toll count on Wednesday, reporting that the number of fatalities had increased from 48,577 on Monday to 49,547—a rise of 970 dead in 48 hours.
