A hospital in Gaza reports that at least 15 Palestinians, including eight children and two women, have been killed in an Israeli strike while waiting in line for nutritional supplements outside a clinic in central Gaza.
Footage from al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah showed the bodies of several children and others on the floor as medical personnel treated the wounded.
Project Hope, a US-based aid organization that operates the clinic, condemned the attack as a blatant violation of international law. The Israeli military stated that it targeted a “Hamas terrorist” and expressed regret for any harm to civilians.
Another 37 people were reportedly killed in Israeli strikes in other parts of Gaza, as Israel and Hamas continue negotiations towards a ceasefire agreement.
Despite optimism expressed by the US, which is mediating the talks along with Qatar and Egypt, a breakthrough does not appear to be imminent.
Project Hope reported that Thursday morning’s strike in front of its Altayara health clinic in Deir al-Balah occurred as patients gathered outside, awaiting the clinic’s opening for treatment of malnutrition, infections, chronic illnesses, and other conditions.
“Suddenly, we heard the sound of a drone approaching, and then the explosion happened,” witness Yousef al-Aydi told AFP news agency. “The ground shook beneath our feet, and everything around us turned into blood and deafening screams.”
Graphic footage posted on social media, and verified by the BBC, depicted the immediate aftermath of the attack, showing adults and young children lying in the street, some with severe wounds and others motionless.
At the mortuary of nearby al-Aqsa hospital, relatives of the deceased mourned as they wrapped the bodies of the children in white shrouds and body bags before performing funeral prayers.
One woman told the BBC that her pregnant niece, Manal, and her daughter, Fatima, were among the victims, and that Manal’s son was in the intensive care unit.
“She was queuing to get the children supplements when the incident happened,” Intisar said.
Another woman standing nearby asked: “For what sin were they killed?”
“We are dying before the ears and eyes of the whole world. The whole world is watching the Gaza Strip. If people aren’t killed by the Israeli army, they die trying to get aid.”
Rabih Torbay, president and CEO of Project Hope, stated that the aid group’s clinics were “a place of refuge in Gaza where people bring their small children, women access pregnancy and postpartum care, people receive treatment for malnutrition, and more.”
“Yet, this morning, innocent families were mercilessly attacked as they stood in line waiting for the doors to open,” he added. “Horrified and heartbroken cannot properly communicate how we feel anymore.”
“This is a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, and a stark reminder that no-one and no place is safe in Gaza, even as ceasefire talks continue. This cannot continue.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that it struck a member of the elite Nukhba forces of Hamas’s military wing who had participated in the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.
“The IDF is aware of reports regarding a number of injured individuals in the area. The incident is under review,” it added. “The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals.”
Elsewhere, five people were killed when an Israeli drone struck tents in the coastal al-Mawasi area, in southern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency.
It posted a video showing first responders recovering the bodies of three young children buried beneath sand and debris.
The attacks occurred as mediators attempted to build momentum towards a ceasefire deal at indirect proximity talks in Doha.
However, significant gaps between Israel and Hamas appear to remain.
On Wednesday night, a senior Israeli official told journalists in Washington that it could take one or two weeks to reach an agreement.
The official, speaking during a visit to the US by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, also stated that if an agreement was reached on a 60-day ceasefire, Israel would use that time to offer a permanent end to the war that would require Hamas to disarm. If Hamas refused to disarm, Israel would “proceed” with military operations, they added.
Earlier, Hamas issued a statement saying that the talks had been difficult, blaming Israeli “intransigence.” The group said it had shown flexibility in agreeing to release 10 hostages, but it reiterated that it was seeking a “comprehensive” agreement that would end the Israeli offensive.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 57,762 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Most of Gaza’s population has also been displaced multiple times. More than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed; the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed; and there are shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.
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