Israeli Strike on Gaza Kills Children Waiting for Aid, Hospital Reports

Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip

A devastating Israeli airstrike struck a group of Palestinians, including eight children, waiting for nutritional supplements in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Thursday, according to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The attack, which killed at least 15 people, including two women, has drawn renewed international attention to the escalating humanitarian crisis in the region.

Graphic footage from the hospital showed the bodies of several children and others lying on the floor as medics scrambled to treat the wounded. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the strike targeted a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The IDF stated it “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals” and said the incident is under review.

The strike occurred amid ongoing ceasefire talks in Doha, where mediators from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt are struggling to bridge significant gaps between Israel and Hamas. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports that over 57,680 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s military campaign began in response to the October 2023 Hamas attack, which killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

The attack has intensified concerns about Gaza’s worsening humanitarian situation. The United Nations estimates that 90% of homes in Gaza are damaged or destroyed, with critical shortages of food, water, and medicine. Aid deliveries remain severely restricted, with chaotic scenes reported as desperate residents crowd distribution points. The UN has called for 500–600 aid trucks daily, far exceeding the 107 allowed in on Sunday, according to Israeli authorities.

Local witnesses described the strike as a tragic escalation, with one survivor lamenting, “We are dying before the eyes of the whole world.” The international community, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, has reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire and independent investigations into civilian deaths.

As violence continues, the plight of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents grows increasingly dire, with malnutrition and displacement rampant. The strike in Deir al-Balah underscores the urgent need for a resolution to protect civilians and ensure aid reaches those in need.