A double airstrike struck a street in northern Gaza City on Tuesday afternoon, killing a child and a paramedic, according to witnesses and local authorities. The incident occurred on Salah Khalaf Street shortly before 3:30 p.m., as residents gathered following an initial explosion.
Mohammad Abdul Zinati, a teenager returning from school, stopped at a supermarket where several classmates and friends had assembled after hearing the first blast. When the dust settled, a man was found wounded and calling for help on the road. Mohammad ran toward the injured man despite warnings from his cousin, Mohammad Rajeh Zinati, who spotted an Israeli drone overhead and urged him to stop and seek cover.
The drone then released a glide bomb, a precision munition designed to strike specific targets. The second explosion detonated meters away from Mohammad, killing him instantly.
The injured man was identified by Gaza’s civil defense as Sharif Shadi Labad, a paramedic. The Israeli military stated that Labad was targeted due to alleged affiliation with Hamas, labeling him a militant. This claim has not been independently verified.
Witnesses described the rapid sequence of events. Tamer Lubbad, who filmed the scene, said that many civilians rushed to aid the injured after the first blast. Mohammad Rajeh Zinati recounted his unsuccessful attempts to warn his cousin before the second strike. “I started shouting: ‘Run! Get away!’” he said, but Mohammad did not hear him before the bomb detonated.
The attack highlights the ongoing risks to civilians amid the conflict in Gaza, where Israeli forces have frequently targeted what they describe as militant operatives, sometimes drawing international concern over collateral damage. The use of precision-guided munitions, such as glide bombs deployed from drones, has raised questions about the balance between military objectives and civilian safety.
No further details have been provided by the Israeli military about the operation, and Gaza authorities continue to document casualties resulting from the hostilities. The incident underscores the complexities and dangers faced by medical workers and civilians amid active conflict zones.