GAZA CITY – At least 66 people, including eight children, were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Gaza on Thursday, Gaza’s civil defence agency confirmed. The children were standing in line for nutritional aid outside a clinic in Deir el-Balah when the strike hit.
The clinic, run by U.S.-based charity Project Hope, was providing life-saving treatment for malnutrition, infections, and other illnesses. The organization said 15 people were killed at the site, including 10 children and two women. Witnesses described the chaos as the sound of drones was followed by a sudden explosion.
According to UNICEF, one of the victims was a one-year-old boy who had just spoken his first words. His mother, now critically injured, had brought him to the clinic for treatment. “No parent should have to face such tragedy,” said UNICEF chief Catherine Russell, calling the strike “unconscionable.”
The Israeli military claimed the strike targeted a Hamas fighter involved in the October 7, 2023, cross-border attack and said the incident is under review. It also expressed regret over civilian casualties and stated it operates to minimize such harm.
Meanwhile, other parts of Gaza also saw deadly violence. In Al-Bureij camp, four people died in a pre-dawn airstrike. AFP footage showed families with young children sitting in rubble, visibly shaken. In Rafah, Israeli gunfire near an aid center killed three more people, including a woman.
Since May, over 600 people have reportedly died while trying to access aid. The European Union recently reached an agreement with Israel to open more aid crossings and enhance protection for humanitarian workers. Yet, with more than 57,000 Palestinians now killed since the war began, hopes for peace remain distant.