Israeli naval shelling kills Palestinian child in Gaza displacement zone, medics say

2026-02-02 - 09:55

A Palestinian child was killed and several others were wounded on Monday after Israeli naval gunboats targeted tents housing displaced civilians in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Medical sources at the Nasser Medical Complex reported receiving the body of a three-year-old boy along with a number of injured individuals following the shelling along the coastal displacement zone in al-Iqlimi. Cross-Line Fire and Demolitions Continue Witnesses stated that Israeli military vehicles positioned east of the so-called Yellow Line—a temporary boundary separating Israeli-controlled areas from Palestinian-permitted zones—opened heavy fire toward nearby areas in eastern Khan Younis. Additional reports indicated Israeli forces carried out demolition operations targeting buildings and facilities in Rafah and central Gaza. Persistent Ceasefire Violations The attack is the latest in a series of hundreds of reported Israeli violations of the ceasefire that took effect on October 10. Despite the U.S. announcement in January that the second phase of the agreement had begun—which includes further Israeli withdrawals and the launch of reconstruction—shelling, gunfire, and demolitions have continued, resulting in Palestinian civilian casualties. Background of Destruction and Loss The ceasefire ended a two-year Israeli military offensive that began on October 8, 2023, which killed more than 71,000 Palestinians, wounded over 171,000, and destroyed approximately 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure. The United Nations estimates reconstruction costs at around $70 billion.