An Israeli airstrike near a health clinic run by American NGO Project HOPE killed at least 18 people, including children, in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah on Thursday. The attack occurred as civilians gathered outside the clinic to receive food and medical support, according to the organization’s regional director, Natia Deisadze.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the strike targeted a Hamas fighter involved in the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. It stated that it was reviewing the incident and expressed regret for any harm to non-combatants.

Graphic Civilian Toll At Aid Distribution Site

CCTV footage verified by The New York Times showed the moment of impact, with two men hit by the blast as a group of women and children sat nearby. Videos from the aftermath revealed severely wounded civilians, including a bleeding woman and a child with twisted limbs.

Dr. Khalil al-Daqran, a spokesperson for Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, confirmed that 18 bodies were brought in, many of them children. Witnesses described a scene of devastation. “I saw children torn apart while women nearby screamed in anguish,” said 28-year-old Doaa al-Harazin.

Ceasefire Talks Continue As Bombing Intensifies

The deadly strike occurred amid renewed negotiations between Israel and Hamas over a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, raising questions about the credibility of truce efforts. More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to Gaza’s health ministry, including over 7,000 since a March ceasefire collapsed.

Israeli officials maintain that Hamas uses civilian areas for military operations, while rights groups warn that strikes near humanitarian sites are exacerbating Gaza’s humanitarian collapse.