‘No safe place’: Israeli strike misses target, hits children at Gaza’s water distribution site

The incident occurred at a water distribution point in the crowded Nuseirat refugee camp.

A missile strike by the Israeli military killed at least eight Palestinians, six of them children, and wounded 17 others in central Gaza on Sunday, after a technical malfunction caused the missile to miss its intended target by several metres, according to Israeli officials.

The incident occurred at a water distribution point in the crowded Nuseirat refugee camp.

"This was a devastating scene. Most of the victims were children waiting to collect water," said Dr Ahmed Abu Saifan, an emergency physician at Al-Awda Hospital. "Many came in with shrapnel injuries and severe burns. Some never made it to us alive."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike was aimed at a member of the Islamic Jihad group but that the missile "fell dozens of metres from the target." In a statement, the IDF expressed regret over the civilian casualties and said the incident is under investigation.

The strike took place amid worsening water shortages in Gaza, where damaged infrastructure and fuel cuts have left over two million residents dependent on communal water points. The attack not only claimed young lives but also destroyed a rare lifeline for hundreds of families.

Elsewhere in Gaza on Sunday, 12 more Palestinians, including a senior hospital consultant, were killed in a separate Israeli airstrike on a crowded market area in Gaza City, according to local reports. The attack occurred mid-morning, a time when streets were busy with civilians seeking essentials.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said over 58,000 people have died since the war began on October 7, 2023. It added that at least 139 deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours alone. While the ministry doesn’t differentiate between fighters and civilians, it said that more than half of those killed are women and children.

Efforts to broker a ceasefire remain stuck. Negotiations in Doha over a US-backed proposal for a 60-day truce have stalled, with both Israeli and Palestinian officials blaming each other for the deadlock.

The key sticking point appears to be the scope of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Hamas demands a complete exit, while Israel insists on maintaining operational control to prevent future attacks.

Optimism that emerged last week after limited progress has since faded, casting a shadow over the fate of 50 remaining hostages in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive.

For many in Gaza, even following Israeli evacuation orders offers no protection. Early Sunday morning, a missile struck a home in Gaza City where a displaced family had taken shelter after leaving the southern outskirts under IDF instruction.

“My aunt, her husband, and the children, all gone,” said Anas Matar, a relative of the victims, told Reuters. “They followed orders, they moved to where it was supposed to be safe, and they were still bombed. There is no safe place in Gaza anymore.”