Key facts
- Israeli forces killed a 5-year-old child, Saja Yahia al-Sufi, in Gaza.
- A 5-year-old boy, Samih Shehab Samih Marouf, was killed by Israeli forces in Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza.
- A 13-year-old boy was killed by Israeli forces in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
- Hundreds of thousands of families in Gaza are affected by restrictions on humanitarian aid.
- Israel has banned international aid groups from operating in Gaza and the West Bank.
Israeli forces have killed multiple children in Gaza in recent months. A 5-year-old girl, Saja Yahia al-Sufi, was critically wounded by live fire in Khan Younis and died days later. Separately, a 5-year-old boy, Samih Shehab Samih Marouf, was shot and killed by Israeli forces in Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza. Another 13-year-old boy was killed by Israeli troops in Khan Younis while inside a tent.
These incidents occur amidst a deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel's continued restrictions on aid deliveries. Aid groups warn that these restrictions leave Palestinian children particularly vulnerable. UNICEF reported that at least five Palestinian children died in Gaza in December due to a lack of adequate shelter, including a 7-year-old boy who drowned in a makeshift camp. The UN has urged Israel to allow essential supplies like tents and blankets into Gaza to help families cope with winter conditions.
In a related development, Israel has moved to ban international aid groups from operating in Gaza and the West Bank, revoking the licenses of 37 organizations for failing to comply with new government regulations. UN officials have denounced this ban as a restriction on humanitarian access, while the affected organizations warn of a halt to life-saving work.