The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has alleged that Israeli forces attacked its headquarters in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of one worker and injuries to three others.
According to the humanitarian organization, the assault “sparked a fire in the building” early Sunday morning.
The PRCS described the overnight attack on its facility in Khan Younis as “deliberate,” emphasizing that the headquarters’ location was “well known” to the Israeli military and “clearly marked with the protective red emblem.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has stated to the BBC that it is reviewing the claim regarding damage to a PRCS building and reports that “uninvolved individuals in the Khan Younis area were harmed as a result of an IDF strike.”
A video shared by the PRCS on social media depicted parts of the building engulfed in flames and smoke, while subsequent images revealed extensive damage to the structure and substantial bloodstains.
In a released statement, the aid agency conveyed that “shortly after midnight, Israeli artillery directly struck the upper floors” of the building.
“As PRCS teams were evacuating staff and inspecting the damage, the second floor was hit again, followed by direct shelling of the ground floor – precisely while rescue teams were fighting the blaze caused by the bombing.”
The PRCS identified the deceased worker as Omar Isleem and expressed its “heartbreak” over his death. It also reported that two other workers were injured, along with a civilian who was attempting to extinguish the fire. The agency reiterated that the building was “clearly marked” with its emblem.
“This was not a mistake,” the PRCS asserted. “We renew our call for accountability and for the protection of all humanitarian and medical personnel.”
The aid agency stated that since the commencement of the war, “51 staff and volunteers in Gaza were killed by Israel, including 29 who lost their lives while performing humanitarian duties.”
The UN Human Rights office voiced its “deep shock and outrage over continued killings of emergency workers in Gaza” and called for an independent investigation.
This incident occurs amidst growing concerns regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
On Sunday, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reported that at least 104 people had been killed by Israel’s military offensive in the preceding 24 hours, including 65 individuals who were seeking aid.
According to the latest figures from the UN, at least 1,373 Palestinians have been killed while attempting to secure food since late May.
The majority have been killed by the Israeli military near Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites, the UN reports. The GHF disputes the UN’s figure of at least 859 deaths in the vicinity of its sites.
Israel has accused Hamas of inciting chaos near aid centers and maintains that its forces do not intentionally target civilians.
Meanwhile, Egyptian state media has reported that two lorries containing essential fuel are awaiting entry into Gaza.
Medical professionals have been issuing warnings for weeks regarding shortages in vital medical facilities, following Israel’s 11-week blockade of all aid and goods entering Gaza.
While this blockade has since been partially lifted, humanitarian agencies have emphasized that increased aid access to Gaza is crucial to prevent the worsening of famine and malnutrition.
The Hamas-run health ministry reported on Sunday that six additional individuals have died from malnutrition, bringing the total number of such deaths since the start of the war to 175, including 93 children.
Israel denies deliberately obstructing aid to Gaza and accuses the UN and other aid agencies of failing to deliver it effectively.
On Sunday, the IDF stated that 136 aid packages, containing food for residents in southern and northern Gaza, were airdropped by Israel in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, France, Germany, and Belgium.
The IDF initiated a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry reports that 60,839 people have been killed across the Gaza Strip since then.
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