The major UN Palestinian relief agency halted work in Gaza Strip on Thursday after a driver was killed and the death toll from Israel's war on Hamas rose to more than 760 when dozens of bodies were found in the rubble. According to AFP, the UN Relief and Works Agency suspended operations in the coastal territory after a UN convoy was hit by two Israeli tank shells, killing a truck driver.
"Operations will remain suspended until Israeli authorities can guarantee the safety and security of our staff," its spokesman Christopher Gunness told the news agency. The convoy was heading for Erez in northern Gaza. "Two tank shells impacted near a forklift, and one person was killed," Gunness said, adding that the convoy had been coordinated with the Israeli military.
The International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday also accused Israel of failing to help the wounded after rescuers found four small children clinging to their dead mothers. It said Israeli soldiers tried to force rescuers to leave when they reached the scene in Gaza City's Zeitun neighbourhood on Wednesday, four days after safe-passage had been requested.
The death toll from the war launched on December 27 rose dramatically from 700 on Wednesday to 763 as bodies were found during the second daily three-hour suspension of bombardment. About 20 people were killed in new Israeli raids, said Mouawiya Hassanein, head of Gaza's emergency services. Rescuers also found many bodies in debris in Zeitun and other areas while searching during the respite, he added.
Meanwhile, two Israeli soldiers were killed on Thursday, taking Israel's toll to nine military and three civilians during the 13 days of the conflict.
