A convoy of United Nations vehicles and staff detained for more than eight hours by Israel in northern Gaza on Monday has been released, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said.

According to Reuters, the Israeli military said on Monday it detained the convoy after receiving intelligence indicating that a number of “Palestinian suspects” were aboard and that it wanted to question them.

“The convoy was stopped at gun point just after the Wadi Gaza checkpoint with threats to detain UN staff. Heavy damage was caused by bulldozers to the UN armoured vehicles,” UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said on X.

“All staff and convoy are now released and back safely in the UN base.”

Earlier, the Israeli military contested the assertion that the convoy was carrying polio vaccines for Gaza’s children, saying instead its purpose was to “exchange UN personnel”.