Six Staff Of The UN Aid Agency Killed In Israeli Airstrikes In Gaza

UNRWA School in Gaza was destroyed by Israeli attacks. (Twitter/@UNLazzarini)

JAKARTA - The UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said six staff were killed after two airstrikes hit a school in central Gaza on Wednesday, marking what it said was the highest death toll among its staff in one incident.

"Among those killed were the UNRWA shelter manager and other team members who provided assistance to displaced persons," UNRWA tweeted on X.

Earlier, Israeli soldiers on Wednesday said in a statement they carried out an attack on a command and control center in Nuseirat in central Gaza, which they said was operated by the Palestinian militant faction Hamas.

"This school has been attacked five times since the war began. The school houses about 12,000 displaced people, especially women and children," UNRWA said.

The Hamas-run state media office said Israeli attacks killed at least 18 people, including UNRWA staff members.

The Israeli military said it was taking steps to reduce the risk of harm to civilians, calling at least a third of Palestinian casualties in Gaza militant. They accuse Hamas of using Palestinian civilians as human shields, a charge the Palestinian militant group denies.

The latest conflict in Gaza, Palestine, broke out after a Palestinian militant group led by Hamas attacked Israel's southern region on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and holding about 250 people hostage, according to an Israeli tally.

That was in response to an Israeli campaign that blockaded, airstrikes and ground operations so far have killed at least 41,084 Palestinians and injured 95,029 others, according to Gaza's health ministry.