UN says two employees killed in Gaza as air strikes resume

The UN says that two of its employees have been killed and others injured after a compound in Gaza was broken on Wednesday, including that the circumstances of the incident stay unclear.

The Palestinian territory’s Hamas-run well being ministry blamed an Israeli strike and mentioned 5 critically injured international employees had arrived in hospital. Israel’s navy denied hanging the UN compound in Deir al-Balah.

It comes after Israel mentioned it was resuming preventing in Gaza following a two-month ceasefire – launching a wave of strikes that killed greater than 400 folks, in response to Gaza’s well being ministry.

On Tuesday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned it had “resumed fight in full pressure”.

Footage verified by the BBC confirmed injured folks – two nonetheless sporting blue UN flak jackets – arriving at a hospital in an ambulance and a UN automotive.

Individually, a minimum of 13 folks had been killed in air strikes throughout Gaza in a single day, after Israel mentioned it was resuming preventing “in full pressure” within the Palestinian territory.

Two civilians had been killed and 5 others injured when an Israeli drone hit a tent close to the al-Mawasi humanitarian zone, the Palestinian Wafa information company stories, citing Purple Crescent medics.

Israel’s military mentioned it had focused what it referred to as a Hamas navy website, from the place the group was getting ready to fireside into Israel. Vessels managed by Hamas had been additionally hit, the military mentioned.

The bombing just isn’t of the identical scale because it was on Tuesday – nevertheless it exhibits no let-up in Israel’s recent assault.

Tom Fletcher, the UN’s under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency aid, mentioned of Tuesday’s strikes that “the depth of the killings is now off the size”.

Wafa says a lady and baby had been killed in an air strike north of Khan Younis in a single day into Wednesday, whereas 4 others had been killed in a strike in Gaza Metropolis.

Gaza’s well being ministry has but to present a dying toll for the most recent strikes.

Tuesday’s strikes constituted the heaviest bombardment since a fragile ceasefire and hostage change deal got here into impact on 19 January, and got here after Israel and Hamas didn’t agree easy methods to take it past an preliminary part.

The deal entails three phases, and negotiations on the second stage had been meant to have began six weeks in the past – however this didn’t occur.

Below the proposed second part, Israel would withdraw troops from Gaza – however Israel and the US as an alternative pushed for an extension of the primary part, with extra hostages being launched in change for extra Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu forged the resumption of preventing as a return to Israel’s main goals – to return the hostages and “get rid” of Hamas – however households of hostages have criticised the choice, saying it confirmed the federal government had given up on their family members.

Hundreds of Israelis have joined a protest in Jerusalem, accusing Netanyahu of undermining democracy and restarting the offensive in Gaza with out regard for the hostages.

Israel says Hamas continues to be holding 59 hostages, 24 of whom are believed to be alive.

Egypt, a mediator in talks, mentioned the recent strikes had been a “blatant” violation of the ceasefire.

Israel beforehand imposed a complete halt on all humanitarian support getting into Gaza, inflicting widespread worldwide alarm.

“For 2 weeks now, our meals provides are rotting on the borders, the medicines are expiring, the water’s been minimize off, the facility’s been minimize off – and all that to punish civilians additional,” Mr Fletcher advised BBC Radio 4’s Immediately programme.

He mentioned he had spoken to the UN safety council on Tuesday in a bid to raise the blockade and get the ceasefire deal again on observe, together with the discharge of hostages.

“I am not asking for the moon right here,” the UN chief added.

He mentioned his crew was going “keep on going” in Gaza as a result of they’re “decided to do every thing they will to avoid wasting as many survivors as attainable.

“They’re saying to us: What does it say about our values that we will not cease a twenty first Century atrocity occurring earlier than our eyes – and never simply occurring, however being cheered on earlier than our eyes?”

Hamas has confirmed that a number of of its leaders had been killed in Tuesday’s strikes, together with its de facto head of presidency, Essam a-Da’lees.

In the meantime, Islamic Jihad – whose fighters participated within the 7 October 2023 assault which triggered the present battle – mentioned the outstanding spokesman of its armed wing, often known as Abu Hamza, was killed.

Nevertheless, there have been additionally many civilians, together with dozens of kids, considered among the many lifeless.

Regional mediators at the moment are mentioned to be pushing Hamas to launch a number of the Israeli hostages it nonetheless holds in change for a de-escalation.

However Netanyahu has mentioned that going ahead, all ceasefire talks will happen “below fireplace”.

The 7 October 2023 assault by Hamas on Israel noticed about 1,200 folks killed and the capturing of 251 hostages – 25 of whom had been launched alive throughout the first part of the ceasefire.

Israel responded with an enormous navy offensive, which has killed greater than 48,500 Palestinians, the Hamas-run well being ministry says, in addition to inflicting large-scale destruction to houses and infrastructure.