Deir al-Balah, Gaza. On July 10, an Israeli bombardment killed at least 15 Palestinians, including ten children, as they waited for nutritional supplements outside a medical clinic in central Gaza. The victims, largely women and children, had gathered early in the morning near a health facility run by the US charity Project Hope in search of life-saving food and medicine due to severe shortages triggered by the ongoing siege and conflict.
The strike took place in an area purportedly classified by Israeli forces as “green and safe. It” highlights the vulnerability of people caught in the crossfire. Graphic footage from the incident showed lifeless bodies of children and medics frantically treating the wounded. While some victims taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital by donkey carts. Survivors, including a five-year-old girl named Hanna, described the horror of the blast. It maimed her and her family as they sought essential supplements for hungry youngsters.
The Gaza Health Ministry acknowledged the deaths and called the attack a clear violation of international humanitarian law. The leadership of Project Hope referred to the strike as a “horrific scene”. They emphasized that children should never face the threat of bombings while waiting for food and medicine. The Israeli military said it targeted a jihadist involved in the October 7 terror acts and said it was investigating the incident, though no independent verification is released.
The timing of this attack is particularly concerning, as the Israel-Gaza armistice negotiations are purportedly progressing. Mediators from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar are engaged in the process of negotiating a temporary ceasefire. Despite ongoing negotiations, violence has escalated, with further airstrikes reported in Gaza, killing scores more civilians.
Civilians Under Fire as Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Amid Israel Gaza Ceasefire Talks
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating dramatically. Since the conflict began in October 2023, over 57,000 Palestinians have been dead. The conflict has uprooted majority of the population several times and damaged key services. Food, gasoline, medicine, and shelter are all critically scarce under Israel’s siege, exacerbating the misery of Gaza’s children and families.
Voices from Gaza call for peace. Samah al-Nouri, lamenting her daughter’s death in the bomb, said, “She didn’t do anything; she was innocent. Her aim was to end the war and return to school. The shooting of children queuing for aid emphasizes the critical necessity for a long-term peace that protects civilians and ensures humanitarian access.
The tragic deaths of Gaza’s children waiting for nutritional supplements highlight the devastating human cost of the conflict. And the critical importance of renewed international efforts to achieve an Israel Gaza ceasefire and safeguard the lives of vulnerables.
