UN Palestinian Refugee Agency Reports Six Staff Members Killed in Two Gaza Airstrikes, According to Reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) – The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) reported that six of its staff members were killed following two airstrikes that targeted a school in central Gaza on Wednesday. This tragic event represents the highest casualty count among UNRWA staff in a single incident.

Among those who lost their lives was the manager of the UNRWA shelter, along with other team members who were assisting displaced individuals, as stated by UNRWA on a social media platform.

Earlier that day, the Israeli army announced it had conducted a strike on a command and control center in Nuseirat, central Gaza, which it claimed was operated by Hamas, the Palestinian militant faction.

UNRWA noted that the school had been hit five times since the onset of the conflict, and it serves as a refuge for approximately 12,000 displaced individuals, primarily women and children. The Hamas-run government media office reported that the strike killed at least 18 people, including the UNRWA staff.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed to Reuters that the lack of accountability for the deaths of U.N. personnel and humanitarian workers in Gaza is "totally unacceptable."

The Israeli military, for its part, asserts that it takes extensive measures to minimize civilian casualties and claims that at least a third of Palestinian deaths in Gaza are militants. Israel accuses Hamas of using civilians as human shields, which Hamas denies.

The conflict escalated on October 7, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of around 250 hostages, according to Israeli sources. In response, Israel’s military actions in Gaza have led to the deaths of over 41,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in the region.