In the Deir al-Balah area of central Gaza, at least 15 Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces launched a drone strike near a health clinic where people were standing in line for nutritional food aid. Among the dead are eight children and two women, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
Hospital sources report that most of the victims died on the spot. Video footage released by the hospital shows several lifeless children lying on the ground while doctors are busy attending to the injured. The U.S.-based human rights organization Project Hope, which operates the clinic, condemned the attack as a direct violation of international human rights law.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that the strike targeted a member of Hamas’ elite Nukhba unit, describing them as terrorists. The IDF expressed regret over civilian casualties and stated that an investigation is underway.
Eyewitness Yusuf Al-Eidi said, “Suddenly, the sound of a drone followed by a loud explosion. Within moments, the area was filled with blood and cries.” A relative reported that his pregnant niece, Manal, and her infant daughter Fatima were killed in the strike. Manal’s son remains in ICU. A nearby woman tearfully asked, “What crime did they commit to be killed? We are dying before our eyes.”
Project Hope president Rabih Torbay called the clinics in Gaza the last refuge for its people, condemning the attack as a war crime. “Even while ceasefire talks continue, no one in Gaza is safe,” he said.
UNICEF chief Catherine Russell described the strike as “unjustifiable and against humanity.”
On the same day, another drone strike in the southern coastal area of Al-Mawasi in Gaza killed five people, including three children. Videos show rescuers recovering bodies buried under sand.
Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, no agreement has been reached. Israeli officials say a deal could take one to two weeks, while Hamas insists on a comprehensive agreement to end Israeli aggression.
The United Nations has reported that for the first time in four months, a limited amount of fuel has entered Gaza, though it falls far short of daily needs. Severe shortages of healthcare, water, food, and medicine continue across the territory.
Source: BBC News, 2025