UN staff member killed, Five injured in Gaza amid Israeli strikes

Shafaq News/ One foreign staff member working for a UN-affiliated organization was killed, and five others were injured in an Israeli airstrike on their facility in central Gaza on Wednesday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported.

The injured workers were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for treatment, according to the ministry.

Earlier today, Israeli airstrikes killed 14 Palestinians ein attacks across the Strip.

According to Gaza’s Government Media Office, at least 430 people were killed and more than 500 injured in Tuesday’s Israeli strikes. The office stated that approximately two-thirds of the victims were women and children.

Meanwhile, the head of Gaza’s Government Media Office warned that the enclave has officially entered the initial stages of famine, with nearly two million people facing severe food insecurity. “Unless the conflict ceases, the coming days could bring catastrophic consequences, potentially leading to a total collapse of life in Gaza,” he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would continue its military operations against Hamas with increasing intensity. In a recorded speech, he reiterated that negotiations would proceed "under fire" and vowed to persist until Israel’s war objectives were achieved.

The Hamas movement, for its part, welcomed Arab positions in support of Gaza and urged pressure on Washington to intervene and halt the ongoing military operations.

The ongoing conflict has also triggered internal dissent within Israel’s security forces. The military dismissed two reserve officers after they objected to the resumption of hostilities. According to The Times of Israel, reservist, Michael Majer of the Military Intelligence Directorate, was discharged after publicly refusing to serve, describing the government’s approach as “contrary to the interests of the people of Israel.

His dismissal followed that of an Israeli Air Force navigator who had voiced similar concerns on social media, citing fears over the fate of hostages held in Gaza and opposition to government efforts to remove the head of the Shin Bet and the attorney general.

Public demonstrations in Israel have also intensified, with protests against the government's handling of the war and concerns over the hostages.