An Israeli missile has struck a convoy transporting medical supplies and fuel to a hospital in the Gaza Strip, resulting in multiple fatalities among employees of a local transport company, according to the American aid organization Anera. The attack reportedly occurred without immediate evidence supporting Israel’s claim that armed groups had seized the convoy. The missile hit the convoy on Salah al-Din Street, targeting the lead vehicle.

“The convoy, which was approved by Israeli authorities, included an Anera staff member who thankfully was not injured,” said Sandra Rasheed, Anera’s director in the Palestinian territories, in a statement quoted by the Associated Press. She added that the remaining vehicles in the convoy managed to continue on and deliver aid to the Emirates Red Crescent Hospital in Rafah. Anera is now pressing for more details about the incident.

Avichay Adraee, the spokesperson for the Israeli military’s Arabic communication division, stated on social media that “armed groups seized a vehicle at the front of the convoy and began to drive off.” He explained that the attack was carried out after confirming the capability to target militants without harming the rest of the convoy, which reached its destination as planned.

The United Arab Emirates, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020 and has been providing aid to Gaza since the onset of the conflict, has yet to comment on the attack. The Israeli military has previously targeted other aid convoys in Gaza. The World Food Programme (WFP) recently announced that it would temporarily withdraw all personnel from Gaza after Israeli troops fired on one of its marked vehicles. UNICEF reported that two of its vehicles were also shot at while waiting at a specific location.

According to the United Nations, over 280 aid workers have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza since October 7. Meanwhile, vital border crossings into Gaza remain closed, exacerbating a growing famine in the area. Hospitals in Gaza are suffering from shortages of fuel for generators, medication, and other essential supplies, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the region.