THE United Nations said today that one of its staff was killed and another five wounded in the Gaza Strip.

The attack in the central city of Deir al-Balah follows Israel’s decision to unilaterally end the ceasefire agreement with Hamas with a series of brutal air strikes that have killed at least 436 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 183 children and 94 women have been killed since the strikes began early on Tuesday. 

The ministry said another 678 Palestinians have been wounded in the strikes, which continued into today.

UN Office for Project Services (Unops) chief Jorge Moreira da Silva declined to say who carried out the strike but said the explosive ordnance was “dropped or fired” and the blast was not accidental or related to de-mining activity. 

Unops operates the mechanism tracking aid trucks into Gaza, does de-mining and helps bring fuel in.

Mr Moreira da Silva said strikes had hit near the compound on Monday and struck it directly on Tuesday and again yesterday, when the member of staff was killed. 

He said the agency had contacted the Israeli military after the first strike and confirmed that it was aware of the facility’s location.

“Israel knew this was a UN premise, that people were living, staying and working there,” he said.

The Israeli military denied striking the UN compound and claimed it only targets militants.

Meanwhile in Israel, thousands marched in Jerusalem today to protest at the resumption of the war in Gaza, fearing it could further endanger some two dozen hostages still held by Hamas.

Families and supporters of the hostages fear renewed fighting could be a death sentence for their loved ones in captivity. 

The hostages “are waiting for us to take them out and to bring them home, but war will not do it. Only negotiations will do it,” protester Alon Shirizly said.

Hamas is still holding 59 hostages, including 24 who are believed to be alive.

The demonstrators are also protesting against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to fire the head of Israel’s internal security agency, the latest in a series of moves that his critics view as an assault on Israeli democracy.

Mr Netanyahu said on Tuesday the wave of strikes was “only the beginning” and that Israel would press ahead until it achieves all of its war aims — destroying Hamas and freeing all hostages held by the group since its October 7, 2023, attack.