An Israeli airstrike struck near a health center in Deir Al Balah, central Gaza, on Thursday. According to Gaza medical officials, 15 people died—including eight children aged between two and 14—as they waited for medical assistance. The victims also included three women and four men, paediatric hospital staff confirmed.
Witnesses described scenes of horror: footage from the incident shows lifeless children, others visibly injured, amid the anguished cries of bystanders. Some of the wounded were loaded onto carts for transport to a nearby hospital.
This strike came during a routine queue outside a facility dispensing infant formula to women and children in need, Gaza’s health ministry said. Israel’s military stated it targeted a Hamas militant linked to the group’s October 7 attacks. The IDF acknowledged reports of civilian injuries and offered an ongoing review, expressing regret for any unintended harm and saying it aims to minimize civilian casualties.
Project HOPE, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization, stated the blast occurred directly in front of one of its clinics—facilities that were officially shared with the Israeli military to avoid such incidents. “It was a deconflicted site,” said CEO Rabih Torbay. These clinics offer vital services, including treatment for malnutrition, chronic illness, and pregnancy care. Torbay emphasized the stark tragedy: “Innocent families were mercilessly attacked as they stood in line.”
Similarly, Médecins Sans Frontières’ deputy medical coordinator for Palestine, Dr. Mohammed Abu Mughaisib, highlighted a pattern of attacks against health facilities. He reported that access to aid and medical treatment remains severely restricted, despite Israel’s partial lifting of the blockade. Many bakeries are shut, and aid delivery points are increasingly dangerous, he added. “Gaza’s population is totally exhausted, broken, tired,” he stated, calling hope “a fragile word” in the enclave.
Israel has intensified airstrikes and expanded ground operations throughout Gaza in response to the ongoing conflict. Simultaneously, Doha-mediated talks aim to secure a temporary truce, hostage releases, and expanded humanitarian relief. Recent numbers from Gaza’s health ministry report nearly 3,000 Palestinian fatalities in the last month alone.
Hamas, meanwhile, has maintained guerrilla-style operations against Israeli forces, reportedly killing over 20 soldiers during the same timeframe. On Thursday, the Israeli military confirmed that two assailants conducted a shooting and stabbing attack at the Gush Etzion junction in the occupied West Bank, resulting in the death of a 20-year-old Israeli man. Military spokespeople identified the attackers as Palestinian Authority police officers with no prior arrest records in Israel.
This incident illustrates the intensifying cycle of violence and its impact on civilians—including children and aid workers—already struggling amid critical humanitarian shortages. As aid efforts expand only gradually, displaced families and international NGOs continue to advocate for safer access to life-saving supplies in Gaza.
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