KHAN YOUNIS/CAIRO/JERUSALEM: An Israeli attack killed two children in Gaza on Saturday, medics and relatives said, in violence that has persisted in the Palestinian enclave despite a fragile ceasefire.
The children’s uncle said an Israeli drone fired on Fadi and Goma Abu Assi, brothers aged 10 and 12, while they were gathering firewood to help their wheelchair-bound father east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
“They are children...what did they do? They do not have missiles or bombs, they went to gather wood for their father so he can start a fire,” Mohamed Abu Assi told Reuters as their funeral took place.
At the funeral, the children’s father wept over the body of one of the boys whose white shroud had been peeled back to show his face.
The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
At least 354 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas went into effect on October 10, Gazan health authorities say. Israel says three of its soldiers have been killed by militants’ gunfire in that time.
The level of violence has reduced since the ceasefire, but Israel has continued to strike Gaza and conduct demolitions in territory it occupies there.
Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel signed a truce on October 9 after two years of war but left the most intractable disputes for further talks.
Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire commitments and of pushing back against later steps required by US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 69,700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, health officials in Gaza say. Much of the territory is in ruins.
Israel began its offensive after a Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 in which 1,200 people were killed and about 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages, according to Israel’s tally.