Young boy and his pregnant mom killed by Israeli airstrike in Gaza, hospital officers say
An Israeli airstrike in the war-torn Gaza Strip on Sunday killed at least four Palestinians, including a young boy and his pregnant mother, according to hospital authorities.
The strike targeted a house in Nuseirat, an urban refugee camp in central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of a couple and their son, as confirmed by the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
A fourth fatality was transported to the Awda hospital, also in Nuseirat. The Israeli military has yet to issue a comment regarding the incident.
These deaths mark the latest casualties among Palestinians in the coastal enclave since an October ceasefire agreement aimed to halt the more than two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
While the most intense fighting has subsided, the ceasefire has been punctuated by almost daily Israeli fire.
Israeli forces have conducted repeated airstrikes and frequently opened fire on Palestinians near military-held zones, leading to the deaths of over 650 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
Israel maintains that its actions are in response to ceasefire violations or target wanted militants. However, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that approximately half of those killed since the ceasefire have been women and children.
These fatalities contribute to the grim total of more than 72,200 Palestinians killed in the war, which began after Hamas-led militants launched an attack on southern Israel over two years ago on 7 October 2023.
That assault killed over 1,200 people and saw more than 250 others taken hostage.
The health ministry, which operates under the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are generally considered reliable by UN agencies and independent experts, though it does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths.
Militants have also carried out shooting attacks on troops, and four Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire came into effect.
Source: independent.co.uk
