DEIR AL-BALAH, GAZA — At least 15 Palestinians, including eight children and two women, were killed on Wednesday in an Israeli airstrike near a medical aid distribution site in central Gaza, according to medical officials at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
The hospital reported that the victims were lining up for nutritional supplements when the strike hit a roundabout in Deir al-Balah. Graphic footage shared from the hospital showed injured children receiving emergency care and bodies laid out on the floor of the facility.
Witnesses described a scene of chaos and grief. Intisar, a relative of the victims, confirmed that her pregnant niece, Manal, and Manal’s young daughter, Fatima, died in the strike. Manal’s son survived but remains in intensive care.
“She was queuing to get the children supplements when the incident happened,” Intisar said. “I don’t know what happened after that.”
Another woman at the scene asked, “For what sin were they killed?” She added, “We are dying before the ears and eyes of the whole world. If people aren’t killed by the Israeli army, they die trying to get aid.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it conducted a targeted strike in the area. In a statement, the military said it was aiming at a member of Hamas’ Nukhba unit, who had been involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that left 1,200 people dead and 251 taken hostage.
“The IDF is aware of reports regarding a number of injured individuals in the area. The incident is under review,” the statement read. “The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals.”
The strike comes as negotiations continue in Doha over a potential ceasefire and hostage release agreement, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. Despite diplomatic momentum, a deal remains elusive.
A senior Israeli official, speaking Wednesday in Washington, said a ceasefire agreement could still take one to two weeks. The official noted that Israel is willing to pause fighting for up to 60 days if Hamas agrees to disarm. Failing that, Israel intends to resume military operations.
Hamas, in a statement, accused Israel of stalling and claimed it had offered flexibility by agreeing to release 10 hostages. The group continues to demand a full ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Since Israel began its offensive in Gaza following the October 2023 attack, at least 57,680 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. More than 90 percent of homes are reportedly damaged or destroyed. The region faces critical shortages of food, clean water, fuel, medicine, and shelter. Health services are near total collapse, and the majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced multiple times over the course of the conflict.
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