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A grieving mother, Iman al-Nouri, has lost two of her five sons in an Israeli air strike in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Thursday, with a third son critically injured. The tragedy unfolded as the children waited outside the Altayara health clinic for nutritional supplements.Iman’s sons, Omar (9) and Amir (5), along with their 14-year-old cousin Sama, were killed when the strike hit at around 7:15 AM, before the clinic opened. Iman’s youngest son, two-year-old Siraj, suffered severe injuries, including a major brain haemorrhage and the loss of an eye. Doctors have told Iman they are unable to treat him, and he remains on oxygen, fighting for his life. “They were just kids,” Iman wept, recalling how her children’s simple dreams were shattered. “If you gave them a small toy, they’d be so happy.” She described rushing to the scene to find her sons and niece on a donkey cart, used to transport casualties due to a lack of ambulances. Omar briefly clung to life but succumbed to his wounds in hospital. The strike, which killed 16 people, including 10 children and three women, targeted a “Hamas terrorist,” according to the Israeli military, which expressed regret for harm to civilians and said the incident is under review. However, Dr Mithqal Abutaha of Project Hope, which operates the clinic, condemned the attack as a “blatant violation of international humanitarian law,” noting the facility’s UN-recognised status as a protected humanitarian site. The family’s desperate search for food reflects Gaza’s dire humanitarian crisis. Israel’s blockade, imposed in March, has severely restricted food, medicine, and fuel, exacerbating malnutrition. The UN reports thousands of malnourished children across Gaza, with cases rising daily. Iman said her children frequented the clinic every few days for supplements, as their father, Hatim, risked his life to secure flour. Amid ongoing violence, 798 civilians have reportedly been killed by Israeli fire while seeking aid, including 615 near Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites, according to the UN human rights office. The Israeli military said it is working to minimise civilian harm, while the Foundation accused the UN of using misleading statistics. As ceasefire talks falter, Iman dismissed hopes of peace, saying, “They’ve killed us through hunger, gunfire, bombs, air strikes. We’ve died in every possible way.” Her family’s loss underscores the devastating toll of the conflict on Gaza’s civilians.
