Israeli military forces conducted an airstrike on a makeshift shelter housing displaced individuals in the central Gaza Strip on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least three Palestinians, including an 8-year-old boy and his grandfather, according to medical sources.
Health authorities in Gaza reported that the drone strike targeted a neighborhood in Deir al-Balah, which had experienced relatively minimal damage during the conflict. The casualties were identified as Hassan al-Hanagra, his 8-year-old grandson Malik Abu Shawish, and another man. Abu Shawish, who was visiting his mother at the time of the attack, sustained injuries along with seven other individuals, including his mother.
The Israeli military stated that the strike was aimed at a militant target but did not provide immediate details about the individual or confirm their status.
In a separate incident on Sunday in southern Gaza, the Israeli military announced the killing of Zaher Abu Salem, a member of Islamic Jihad allegedly involved in an attack on Israel in 2023 that escalated tensions. The series of strikes on Sunday led to a total of four fatalities, including a 13-year-old girl named Eileen al-Farra who was fatally injured by shrapnel from Israeli tank fire.
Despite a ceasefire being in effect since October, Israeli forces have continued to carry out frequent strikes, resulting in the deaths of over 1,000 Palestinians, including numerous women and children, as reported by Gaza health officials. Israel has maintained that its operations target militants believed to be planning attacks against Israeli troops stationed in a significant portion of Gaza. Since the ceasefire, five Israeli soldiers have lost their lives in militant assaults.
The Gaza Health Ministry, under Hamas leadership, meticulously documents casualties, a record regarded as reliable by UN agencies and experts; however, it does not differentiate between civilian and militant casualties.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the ongoing campaign by Israel in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 73,000 Palestinians, including recent casualties. The conflict initiated by Hamas on October 7 led to significant casualties and hostage-taking.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces conducted raids across the occupied West Bank, including near Ramallah, where a 15-year-old Palestinian from Jerusalem was fatally shot. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported the incident, along with injuries sustained in a separate raid near Hebron, the most densely populated city in the West Bank.
The Israeli military did not issue an immediate statement regarding the incidents.
Reports from WAFA, the Palestinian news agency, highlighted multiple raids throughout the West Bank on Monday, with at least 59 Palestinians having been killed by Israeli settlers and soldiers this year, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.