Palestine Red Crescent SocietyThe Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has accused Israeli forces of attacking its headquarters in Gaza, killing one worker and injuring three others.
The humanitarian organisation said the attack “sparked a fire in the building” in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Describing the overnight attack on the facility in the southern city of Khan Younis as “deliberate”, the Red Crescent said its HQ’s location is “well known” to the Israeli military and is “clearly marked with the protective red emblem”.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had “no knowledge about neither artillery nor any air strikes” when asked by the BBC about the accusation.
A video shared by the Red Crescent on social media showed parts of the building on fire and filled with clouds of smoke, while aftermath pictures showed heavy damage to the building and several large bloodstains.
In a statement, the aid agency named the killed worker as Omar Isleem and said it was “heartbroken” over his death. It said two other workers were injured, as well as a civilian who was trying to put out the fire.
“This was not a mistake,” the Red Crescent added. “We renew our call for accountability and for the protection of all humanitarian and medical personnel.”
The incident comes as warnings about the humanitarian situation in Gaza grow. Latest figures from the United Nations indicate that at least 1,373 Palestinians have been killed seeking 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 says. The GHF denies the UN’s figure of at least 859 killed in the vicinity of its sites.
Israel has accused Hamas of instigating chaos near the aid centres and says its forces do not intentionally open fire on civilians.
Meanwhile, Egyptian state media has reported that two lorries containing much-needed fuel are waiting to enter Gaza.
Medics have been warning of shortages in vital medical facilities for weeks, after Israel began a months-long blockade of all aid and goods into Gaza.
This has since been partially lifted, but humanitarian agencies have said more aid must be allowed to enter to Gaza to prevent famine and malnutrition worsening.
The Hamas-run health ministry said 175 people, including 93 children, have died from malnutrition.
Israel denies it is deliberately blocking aid flowing into Gaza and accuses the UN and other aid agencies of failing to deliver it.
The IDF launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 60,000 people have since been killed in Gaza, according to the health ministry.
