Gaza, Jun 22 (IANS): The civil defence service in Gaza has said that the Israeli forces bombed a facility belonging to the municipality of Gaza City and killed five municipal employees.

The Civil Defence Service said on Friday that rescue teams are still searching for missing persons under the rubble of the bombed facility, which is near Yarmouk Stadium in the city centre.

The Gaza Municipality condemned the Israeli army's attacks in a statement and called for an immediate investigation, Xinhua news agency reported.

The municipality stressed that the killed employees were pumping water for the citizens, who were "performing the duty of the nation and serving the citizens despite the limited capabilities and high risk".

It also warned of the collapse of municipal services due to the Israeli attacks on municipal employees, which could interrupt the basic services, such as water and sanitation, and put extra strain on Palestinians living in the besieged enclave.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army about the incident.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and around 250 were taken hostage.