A deadly Israeli airstrike on Deir al-Balah, a central city in the Gaza Strip, has killed at least 15 Palestinians, including 10 children and 3 women, according to local authorities. The victims were reportedly gathered at a medical aid point to receive nutritional and medical support when the attack took place. The site was designated to assist malnourished and ill women and children amid Gaza’s ongoing humanitarian catastrophe.
The Gaza Government Media Office strongly condemned the strike, accusing the Israeli military of deliberately targeting civilians and essential facilities. “This attack exposes the Israeli army’s continued policy of collective punishment and massacres against women, children, and unarmed citizens,” the office said in an official statement. It also highlighted the widespread destruction of markets, health centers, and infrastructure throughout the region.
Heart-wrenching videos from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital show bloodied bodies of children lying on the hospital floor and medical staff rushing to treat the wounded. Doctors at the hospital say they are overwhelmed, with supplies running dangerously low and more patients arriving than they can treat.
In response, the Israeli army claimed the airstrike was meant to eliminate a Hamas operative in the area. It expressed regret over civilian casualties and announced that an internal investigation into the incident is ongoing. However, the explanation has done little to calm public anger both inside Gaza and internationally.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that in the past 24 hours, 82 Palestinians have been killed and 247 injured in Israeli attacks. Since October 7, 2023, the death toll in Gaza has risen to 57,762, with over 137,656 wounded. The majority of these casualties are reportedly women and children, further raising alarm over the scale of human suffering in the besieged enclave.