The UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) decided on Thursday not to suspend its operations in Gaza after Israeli shells hit its compound, injuring three of its employees, an UNRWA spokesman said.

"We have decided not to suspend our operations," UNRWA's Gaza-based spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna said, adding "Israeli shells hit the UNRWA complex in Gaza. Three of its employees were injured."

Witnesses said large fire ate a building in the compound which contains hundreds of tonnes of humanitarian aid while other parts of the compound sustained shrapnel damage in southern Gaza City.

UNRWA's spokesperson in Jerusalem Chris Gunness said hundreds of civilians were taking refuge inside the compound when it was hit.

Sami Mesha'sha, UN communication chief in Jerusalem, said in a statement that Israeli tank shells destroyed the area around Gaza UN main headquarters, adding that one shell landed into the UN headquarters' yard.

He added that severe damages were caused to the offices of UNRWA, where dozens of UN employees are still inside, hiding from the Israeli tank shelling of the area.

He said that the UN training center was also damaged and three UN employees were injured, adding that the UN calls on Israel to stop targeting its headquarters, schools and vehicles.

UNRWA has opened 36 schools allover the Gaza Strip to shelter around 36,000 Palestinians, who have their homes being shelled and destroyed, or fled there in fear of being shelled.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2009)