The United Nations Office for Project Services said one of its staff members was killed on Wednesday by "explosive munitions" that may have "exploded or been dropped" on the UN compound in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip.

In a statement titled "UN Office for Project Services Colleague Killed at Agency Compound in Gaza," the agency said that "explosive munitions were dropped or fired at the facility and exploded inside the building," adding that at least five others were injured.

For his part, the office's Executive Director, Jorge Moreira da Silva, expressed his "deep shock and sadness" on Wednesday over the killing of one of his employees in Gaza.

"This was not an accident," da Silva said of the incident, adding, "I was shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic news."

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip released a new death toll on Wednesday, showing that 970 people were killed in the space of 48 hours after Israel intensified its strikes on the Strip.

The death toll from the Gaza war, recorded by the ministry as of Monday afternoon, had reached 48,577. By Wednesday afternoon, the death toll had risen to 49,547, according to the ministry.