The United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA has said six staffers were killed after two airstrikes hit a school in central Gaza, marking what it said was the highest death toll among its staff in a single incident.
"Among those killed was the manager of the UNRWA shelter and other team members providing assistance to displaced people," UNRWA said on social media.
Earlier, the Israeli army said in a statement that it conducted a strike on a command and control centre in Nuseirat in central Gaza, which it said was operated by Palestinian militant faction Hamas.
"This school has been hit five times since the war began. It is home to around 12,000 displaced people, mainly women and children," UNRWA added.
The Hamas-run government media office said the Israeli strike killed at least 18 people, including the UNRWA staff members.
Just Tragic.#Gaza
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) September 11, 2024
Six @UNRWA colleagues killed today when two airstrikes hit a school and its surroundings in Nuseirat in the middle areas.
This is the highest death toll among our staff in a single incident.
Among those killed was the manager of the UNRWA shelter and other…
Taoiseach Simon Harris has said his thoughts are with the staff of the United Nations "as they mourn the loss of six UNRWA colleagues".
In a statement, Mr Harris said: "Earlier this week, we saw shots fired at a UN convoy distributing polio vaccines to protect children in Gaza, with staff threatened by Israeli military forces.
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"We must never allow this to be normalised or take for granted the risks humanitarian workers take with their own lives to help others."
He called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages and unimpeded access to aid in Gaza.
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin condemned the airstrike, saying humanitarian workers take "exceptional risks to provide vital food and aid supplies to people".
"There is an obligation to protect them," he said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Reuters that a lack of accountability for the killing of UN staff and humanitarian aid workers in Gaza was "totally unacceptable".
The Israeli military says it takes steps to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and that at least a third of the Palestinian fatalities in Gaza are militants.
It accuses Hamas of using Palestinian civilians as human shields, which Hamas denies.
The war began on 7 October when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.
Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry.
