Gaza strikes claim five lives, including a child and her father
Israeli military operations in Gaza killed five Palestinians, among them a seven-year-old girl and her father, who were returning from buying school supplies. A separate artillery strike hit a school sheltering displaced families, killing a first-grade student. The Palestinian health ministry reports at least 1,352 deaths since a ceasefire began in October.
The strike on Wafaa Aqila and her father occurred just days before her school term was set to begin, following their trip to purchase supplies. Hours later, a separate artillery shell struck the Sakina School in Deir el-Balah, which currently houses displaced families, resulting in the death of first-grader Saadi Ghalia.
Official tallies indicate that over the past 24 hours, five Palestinians were killed and thirty wounded, with two additional deaths from earlier injuries. Since the October ceasefire began, the health ministry has recorded 1,352 fatalities and 4,511 injuries, while cumulative casualties since the conflict started in October 2023 exceed 73,000 deaths.
The repeated targeting of civilians, particularly children returning to school or sheltering in schools, could deepen the psychological trauma for Gaza's displaced population. These incidents may further disrupt educational access for thousands of students, as families weigh the risks of daily activities against survival. The sustained casualty figures since the ceasefire may also erode trust in any future peace arrangements, potentially complicating humanitarian efforts and regional stability.