Children among 10 killed in Israeli strike on water queue in Gaza

Tragedy struck the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Sunday when an Israeli drone fired a missile at a crowd of civilians queuing for water, killing at least 10 people, including six children. Emergency service officials confirmed the devastating loss of life, with 16 others injured, seven of them children, who were treated at Nuseirat’s al-Awda Hospital.

Eyewitnesses described the harrowing scene as the drone targeted individuals holding empty jerry cans near a water tanker. The aftermath, captured in unverified footage circulating online, depicted scenes of chaos and despair, with bloodied children and lifeless bodies amidst panicked screams.

Residents immediately rushed to the aid of the victims, using private vehicles and even donkey carts to transport the wounded to medical facilities. This strike is part of a broader escalation of Israeli aerial attacks across the Gaza Strip.

On the same Sunday, Gaza’s Civil Defense Agency reported that 19 other Palestinians were killed in three separate strikes that hit residential buildings in central Gaza and Gaza City, underscoring the dire and escalating humanitarian crisis.

The ongoing conflict, which began in response to Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, has led to a catastrophic loss of life in Gaza. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 57,882 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israeli military campaign. The vast majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced multiple times, with over 90% of homes reportedly damaged or destroyed. Critical infrastructure, including healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene systems, has collapsed, exacerbating shortages of essential supplies like food, fuel, and medicine.

The United Nations has highlighted the critical fuel shortage in Gaza, noting that the recent allowance of 75,000 liters of fuel is “far from enough” to meet the population’s daily needs and support vital civilian aid operations. Concerns are mounting as nine UN agencies warned that a complete fuel cutoff would have devastating consequences for hospitals, water systems, sanitation networks, and bakeries. Medical facilities are already facing severe power outages, impacting essential services like maternity, neonatal, and intensive care units, and hampering the operation of ambulances.

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