Key facts
- Mohammad al-Waheidi, a senior Palestinian member of Egypt's main aid organization, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City.
- Waheidi was known for organizing World Cup screenings for Gazans.
- The strike killed three other people, including two children.
- The Israeli military stated it targeted a Hamas militant and acknowledged claims of civilian casualties.
- An Egyptian official protested the strike to Israel, opposing continued assassinations and obstruction of aid work.
Gazans gathered to mourn Mohammad al-Waheidi, a senior Palestinian member of Egypt's primary aid organization, who was killed in an Israeli air strike earlier this week. Waheidi was recognized for his efforts to bring moments of joy to the war-torn enclave by organizing screenings of the World Cup matches on large screens.
The strike occurred on Tuesday, the eve of the Egypt-Argentina game, and claimed the lives of Waheidi and three others, including two young siblings aged 10 and 8, who were passers-by in Gaza City's Sabra neighborhood. Waheidi's son, Fawaz, told Reuters that his father worked hard to provide entertainment for displaced people and those suffering in Gaza.
The Israeli military stated that it had targeted a Hamas militant and acknowledged claims that uninvolved individuals were killed. The military did not provide the name of the alleged militant. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights identified the fourth victim in the vehicle as 30-year-old Ahmed Jehad Rajab Doghmosh, though it remains unclear if he was a passenger or the driver. No Palestinian militant group has claimed responsibility for any of those killed.
Security sources in Egypt indicated that Waheidi was responsible for logistics at the aid agency, which functions as the relief arm of the Egyptian government in Gaza. A senior Egyptian official reportedly raised Waheidi's death with Israel, expressing opposition to the ongoing policy of assassinations and any interference with the aid committee's work.
Hundreds attended Waheidi's funeral on Wednesday, where his body was draped in Palestinian and Egyptian flags. Neighbors and friends visited his home to pay their respects. His son described his father's work as exhausting but driven by a desire to help those displaced by war.
Nearly the entire population of Gaza, estimated at 2 million people, lives in makeshift tents or damaged buildings, often displaced multiple times. Palestinians view Egypt as a key Arab supporter of their cause and statehood aspirations, and the country has played a role in brokering several ceasefire agreements. Despite a ceasefire brokered in October, Israeli attacks have continued, resulting in over 1,000 Palestinian deaths and four Israeli soldier fatalities.
Hamas chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya arrived in Cairo on Thursday for further ceasefire talks, as negotiations between Israel and Hamas remain deadlocked over the implementation of the second phase of the deal.