A staff member of the United Nations was killed, and five others injured on Wednesday when an explosion struck a U.N. guesthouse in the Gaza Strip.
The incident which occurred in the central city of Deir al-Balah, followed the resumption of airstrikes in the region after failed ceasefire negotiations.
Confirming the incident on Wednesday, the head of the U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS), Jorge Moreira da Silva, said an explosive device had been “dropped or fired,” adding that that the blast was neither accidental nor related to the removal of mines in the area.
However, he did not disclose the nationalities of the victims.
UNOPS, which oversees infrastructure and development projects worldwide, had already reported strikes near the compound on Monday, followed by direct hits on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Moreira da Silva said that the U.N. had informed the Israeli military of the compound’s location after the initial strike.
“Israel knew this was a U.N. premise, that people were living, staying, and working there,” he stated.
The Israeli military denied targeting the U.N. facility, despite launching a series of airstrikes into Gaza since early Tuesday.
Israel’s strikes killed at least 436 people, including 183 children and 94 women, leaving 678 persons injured, according to the Gaza health ministry.
However, the Israeli military maintained that it only targets militants and holds Hamas responsible for civilian casualties, citing the group’s operations within densely populated areas.
The resumption of strikes has led to international backlash, with the UN, Turkey, Egypt and Russia, condemning Israel’s actions.
Also reacting, French President Emmanuel Macron has described it as a “step backwards” and called for a resumption of negotiations towards ending the conflict.
“The resumption of Israeli strikes marks a dramatic step backward for the people of Gaza, the hostages, their families, and the entire region,” he posted on X.
“No military approach will bring the security that Israelis and Palestinians so desperately need.
“With the King of Jordan in Paris today, we call for a cessation of hostilities, the release of hostages, and the resumption of good-faith negotiations. Peace and security for all, now!,” Macron stated.