An Israeli drone strike hit a tent sheltering displaced people in the central Gaza Strip on Monday, killing at least three Palestinians, including an 8-year-old boy and his grandfather, medical officials said. The attack occurred in Deir al-Balah, one of the least damaged towns in central Gaza, according to health authorities in the coastal enclave.
Victims Identified
Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported that the fatalities were Hassan al-Hanagra and his 8-year-old grandson, Malik Abu Shawish, along with another man. Hospital officials stated that Abu Shawish, whose parents are divorced, was visiting his mother's tent at the time of the strike. His mother was among seven people wounded in the attack.
Israeli Military Response
Israel's military said the strike was targeting a militant, but did not immediately name him or confirm if he was killed. This incident follows a strike in southern Gaza on Sunday that killed Zaher Abu Salem, described by the Israeli military as a member of Islamic Jihad involved in the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. That attack triggered the ongoing war.
Recent Casualties
On Sunday, a total of four people were killed in a series of strikes around Gaza, including a 13-year-old girl, Eileen al-Farra, who was hit by shrapnel from Israeli tank shelling. She was buried on Monday.
Post-Ceasefire Violence
Since a ceasefire took hold in October, Israeli forces have conducted near-daily strikes, killing 1,045 Palestinians, including more than 360 women and children, according to Gaza health officials. Israel states it is targeting militants, often citing planned attacks on Israeli troops who hold more than 60% of the Gaza Strip. Five Israeli soldiers have been killed in militant attacks since the ceasefire.
Overall Death Toll
Israel's campaign in Gaza has killed more than 73,058 Palestinians, including those killed since the ceasefire, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records considered generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts, though it does not distinguish between civilians and militants.
West Bank Raids
Meanwhile, Israeli forces raided locations throughout the occupied West Bank, including near Ramallah. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that a 15-year-old from Jerusalem was killed by a gunshot to the head. Emergency crews transported Amir Jaber to the hospital from the al-Bireh area after attempting to resuscitate him at the scene, said the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. Two others were injured by Israeli fire in a raid near Hebron. The Israeli military did not immediately comment.
Ongoing Operations
The raid near Ramallah, the Palestinians' administrative capital in the West Bank, was among half a dozen throughout the territory reported by WAFA, the Palestinian news agency, on Monday. At least 59 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers in the West Bank this year, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
