Palestinian aid worker killed in Israeli strike near Gaza screening

Mohamed al-Wahidi, 57, director of the Egyptian Committee in Gaza, had organized public screenings of World Cup games across the territory. He was traveling in a taxi toward one such screening in Tel al-Hawa when the strike occurred. Two brothers aged eight and ten, identified as Fari and Hamza al-Deri, and a 30-year-old man named Ahmed Daghmush were also killed. The taxi driver survived.

Strike details A military spokesperson said the missile had been aimed at a member of Hamas' military wing traveling in a vehicle in northern Gaza. The spokesperson stated that al-Wahidi had not been the intended target and that the incident was under review.

Family members described al-Wahidi as active in aid and development projects and known for public speaking at community events. Daghmush's cousin said shrapnel struck the 30-year-old in the back and pierced his lungs; he died shortly after reaching a hospital.

Context since ceasefire More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire was declared in October, according to the report. The military continues to occupy more than 60 percent of the Gaza Strip, with no significant reconstruction permitted.

A UN independent commission reported last month that Palestinian children were deliberately targeted and killed during the war and after the ceasefire. The overall Palestinian death toll since October 2023 exceeds 73,000.