A pregnant Palestinian woman was killed on Saturday in southern Gaza after being shot in the head by Israeli forces, as attacks across the Gaza Strip claimed at least 10 lives over a 48-hour period, according to local medical officials and witnesses.
The woman, identified as 27-year-old Iman Shalouf, who was nearly eight months pregnant, was inside her family’s tent in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis when the gunfire struck her, paramedics and relatives said. Family members rushed her to Nasser Hospital, where doctors initially detected the heartbeat of her unborn child. However, both Shalouf and the baby later died. The family had chosen the name Ayoub for the child, due in November.
Shalouf’s husband, Ismail abu Mashi, questioned the effectiveness of ongoing ceasefire efforts, saying, “Where is the ceasefire they keep talking about? There is no such thing. There is killing every day.” Her mother-in-law, Wafha abu Mashi, described the moment of the shooting, recounting that she had heard gunfire while praying and found Shalouf bleeding when she checked on her.
Relatives and community members gathered at Nasser Hospital later Saturday to conduct funeral prayers before Shalouf and her child were buried side by side in Khan Younis. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they are investigating the incident.
Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025, violence persists daily in Gaza. The Gaza health ministry reported that Israeli attacks over the past two days resulted in 10 Palestinian deaths and 56 injuries amid shelling and gunfire across northern, central, and southern parts of the Gaza Strip.
Among those killed on Thursday night were four members of the same family—Momen Ahmed, his wife Haneen Saleh, and their daughters Lana, 12, and Bana, 8—when their home in Beit Lahiya was struck. Six other fatalities were recorded on Friday in Khan Younis and Gaza City, including a man who succumbed to wounds from an earlier attack.
Numerous others sustained injuries in the recent strikes. On Friday, two individuals were seriously hurt in Beit Lahiya, while gunfire wounded three people, including a six-month pregnant woman and a child in the same city. On Saturday, the Palestinian Red Crescent reported that nine people were injured when a tent housing displaced persons in al-Mawasi was shelled.
Additionally, the Gaza health ministry reported that two Palestinians were killed on Saturday when a vehicle was hit in Tel al-Hawa, Gaza City. The attack also injured several passengers on a nearby bus carrying women and children.
International agencies have highlighted the impact on children in the ongoing violence. UNICEF noted that between August 23 and September 2, seven children were reportedly killed and others injured, some with severe, life-altering wounds. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) condemned Israeli airstrikes, reporting that between September 6 and 9, the IDF issued 18 evacuation orders and struck a building less than 250 feet from one of their clinics, resulting in Palestinian casualties.
The situation in Gaza remains fragile, with frequent exchanges of hostilities continuing despite previous ceasefire arrangements. The Israel Defense Forces have not confirmed specifics on recent incidents but are investigating the deaths, including that of Iman Shalouf and her unborn child.