Israeli strike kills 15, including 10 children, as they queued outside a medical point in Gaza
At least 15 people, including 10 children, were killed on Thursday morning when an Israeli airstrike hit a group of families waiting outside a medical point in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. The victims had gathered for nutritional supplements and treatment when the strike landed before the clinic had even opened its doors.
The aid facility, operated by Project Hope, immediately suspended operations. Rabih Torbay, the NGO’s chief executive, condemned the attack as a “blatant violation of international humanitarian law.” He described the strike as an assault on “innocent families mercilessly attacked as they stood in line.”
The Israeli military claimed it had targeted a Hamas terrorist involved in the 7 October 2023 attack, but acknowledged civilian casualties. A statement expressed regret for harming “uninvolved individuals” and said the incident is under review.
Witnesses described the horror. Mohammed Abu Ouda, 35, who had been waiting for supplies, recalled: “What was our fault? What was the fault of the children? I saw a mother hugging her child on the ground—both motionless. They were killed instantly.”
The strike was part of a wider intensification of Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, which killed at least 82 people in a 24-hour period. According to the Palestinian health ministry, 67 people were killed by Israeli strikes and gunfire across the region, including 15 people in five separate airstrikes in Gaza City.
The violence surged despite diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire. On Wednesday, Hamas agreed to release 10 hostages in return for a truce. US President Donald Trump said there was a “very good chance” of a ceasefire deal being reached within days. However, mediators in Qatar cautioned that talks were still facing significant obstacles.
Israel has insisted on the right to resume military activity after any ceasefire, while Hamas wants guarantees that hostilities will not restart. In Washington, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would begin negotiations for a permanent ceasefire only if the two sides first agree on a 60-day truce plan. He repeated Israel’s demands: Hamas must disarm and relinquish control of Gaza.
On the ground, residents reported Israeli tanks and bulldozers advancing toward displaced persons’ camps southwest of Khan Younis. Troops reportedly opened fire and released teargas, causing families to flee, carrying mattresses and belongings in the searing heat.
At Nasser Hospital, one of the few remaining functioning facilities in southern Gaza, medical staff struggled to treat the growing number of wounded. A member of the staff shared images of Israeli tanks stationed outside the tent encampments surrounding the hospital. In one instance, a piece of shrapnel from a nearby strike flew into the intensive care unit, still hot to the touch.
Meanwhile, tensions escalated further after Hamas killed five Israeli soldiers using explosive devices in northern Gaza on Tuesday. It marked a rare and deadly attack from Hamas amid ongoing military pressure.
Since the conflict began following Hamas-led attacks that killed more than 1,200 Israelis on 7 October 2023, over 57,000 people in Gaza have died, according to the Palestinian health authorities. The humanitarian crisis has worsened significantly due to Israeli restrictions on aid, leading to famine-like conditions in some parts of the strip.
More than 500 Palestinians have reportedly been shot dead while attempting to reach food distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation—a body backed by the US and Israel. Humanitarian groups have condemned the foundation, warning it could be violating the core principles of humanitarian law.
In one such case, three people were killed near a distribution centre in Rafah, according to a civil defence official.
The strike outside the clinic, where families had gathered in hope of care and sustenance, has added a fresh layer of anguish to an already devastated population. As ceasefire talks drag on, Gaza’s civilians continue to pay the highest price.
