UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric announced that the world organization is withdrawing about one-third of its international staff from the Gaza Strip, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "has taken the difficult decision to reduce the UN presence in Gaza", Dujarric said.
The spokesman stressed that the UN is not leaving the Gaza Strip entirely. "We remain committed to continuing to provide the assistance on which the survival and protection of the civilian population depend", he added.
About 30 of the 100 international staff currently in the Palestinian enclave will leave the region. The remaining staff and more than 10,000 Palestinians working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) will continue their work, Dujarric said.
The Israeli army said it opened fire on a Red Cross building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah on Wednesday over a mistaken identification, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The statement came after a shell hit an office of the humanitarian organization. The International Committee of the Red Cross said there were no injuries, but the attack directly affected the organization's operational capabilities.
The Israeli army said its units opened fire on the building after identifying suspects. However, it was later determined that the identification was incorrect. The Israeli army statement also said that its soldiers who opened fire on the building did not know who owned it.
The International Committee of the Red Cross did not accuse any of the warring parties, but said it "strongly condemns the attack on its premises".
The Israeli army said it would investigate the incident.