An Israeli airstrike on Thursday, near a health clinic operated by the American aid organization Project HOPE, tragically claimed the lives of more than a dozen people, according to local hospital officials. The incident unfolded as negotiations between Hamas and Israel continue to falter over a potential new cease-fire agreement.
The strike hit close to the Project HOPE clinic in the central town of Deir al-Balah, confirmed Natia Deisadze, the organization's regional director. Deisadze highlighted that civilians, including children, had been gathered outside the clinic at the time of the attack, seeking "essential nutrition support."
Military Response and Civilian Casualties
The Israeli military acknowledged the strike, stating it had targeted a Hamas fighter involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which ignited the ongoing conflict in Gaza. While expressing regret for any "harm to uninvolved individuals," the military added that it was still reviewing the strike.
Israel's military campaign in Gaza has consistently claimed to target militants and their weapons infrastructure while striving to minimize civilian harm. However, the conflict has seen frequent strikes on densely populated areas, resulting in significant civilian casualties. Israeli officials often attribute this to militant groups operating within civilian areas.
Dire Humanitarian Crisis Persists
Despite intensive negotiations this week over a new U.S.-backed cease-fire proposal, offering a glimmer of hope for a truce, there's been no indication that Israel is easing its attacks, which it maintains are aimed at incapacitating Hamas.
The war has exacted a devastating toll, with more than 55,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry. This figure includes over 7,000 fatalities in the roughly four months since a cease-fire collapsed in March. The conflict has plunged Gaza into a dire humanitarian crisis, with rampant hunger and widespread struggles for food and shelter among Palestinians.
Eyewitness Accounts of Devastation
Dr. Khalil al-Daqran, a spokesman for the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, reported that the bodies of 18 people, including children, were brought to the hospital after the airstrike. It's important to note that the Gaza health ministry, which employs Dr. al-Daqran, does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its casualty counts.
A CCTV video, verified by The New York Times, captured the moment of the strike. It shows two men walking down a street with a group of approximately a dozen women and children sitting nearby. Suddenly, the two men are struck, and a cloud of dust engulfs the screen. Subsequent videos, also vetted by The Times, depict at least nine injured women and children amidst screams from onlookers. One woman was observed bleeding from a head wound, with the twisted body of a child nearby.
"There was a loud explosion," recounted Doaa al-Harazin, 28, who witnessed the attack. "I saw children torn apart while women nearby screamed in anguish."