Israeli Strike Kills 15, Including Children, at Gaza Clinic, Hospital Reports

At least 15 Palestinians, including eight children and two women, were killed in an Israeli air strike targeting people queuing for nutritional supplements outside a clinic in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, according to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The attack, which occurred on Thursday morning, also left several others wounded, with graphic footage verified by the BBC showing the devastating aftermath, including bodies of children and adults lying in the street.

The US-based aid group Project Hope, which operates the Altayara health clinic, condemned the strike as a “blatant violation of international humanitarian law.” Witnesses described a drone attack followed by a powerful explosion that shook the ground, leaving scenes of chaos and grief. “The ground shook beneath our feet, and everything around us turned into blood and deafening screams,” said Yousef al-Aydi, a witness, to AFP. At al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, relatives mourned as they prepared the bodies of the deceased, including children, for burial. One woman, Intisar, told the BBC her pregnant niece, Manal, and her daughter, Fatima, were among the victims, with Manal’s son now in intensive care. “She was queuing to get the children supplements when the incident happened,” Intisar said. Another mourner questioned, “For what sin were they killed?” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated the strike targeted a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba forces, allegedly involved in the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. The IDF said it was reviewing reports of civilian casualties and expressed regret for any harm to “uninvolved individuals.” Project Hope’s CEO, Rabih Torbay, described the clinic as a “place of refuge” for families seeking treatment for malnutrition, infections, and chronic illnesses. “Horrified and heartbroken cannot properly communicate how we feel anymore,” he said, calling for an end to such attacks. Unicef’s Catherine Russell labelled the killing of families seeking aid as “unconscionable.” The strike was one of several on Thursday, with Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reporting 66 deaths across the territory. In a separate incident, five people, including three children, were killed in an Israeli drone strike on tents in al-Mawasi, southern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency. The attacks come amid ongoing ceasefire talks mediated by the US, Qatar, and Egypt. Despite US optimism, progress remains stalled, with Hamas accusing Israel of “intransigence” and Israel insisting on Hamas’s disarmament as a condition for a permanent ceasefire. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking on Thursday, said a 60-day ceasefire could lead to negotiations for a permanent end to the war, but warned that Israel would use military force if necessary to achieve its goals. The EU announced a deal with Israel on Thursday to open more aid crossings and protect aid workers, while the UN delivered 75,000 litres of fuel to Gaza—the first in four months—but warned it was insufficient to meet even a single day’s needs. Gaza’s health ministry reports over 57,762 deaths since Israel’s military campaign began in response to the 7 October 2023 attack. The conflict has displaced most of Gaza’s population, with over 90% of homes damaged or destroyed, and critical shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter persist.