Middle East latest: 2 young children and parents killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza, officials say

An Israeli strike hit a tent sheltering displaced people in the Gaza Strip, killing two children aged 7 and 9 and their parents, Palestinian officials said Monday.

A third child, 10 years old, was wounded in the strike overnight in the southern city of Khan Younis, according to the Civil Defense, first responders who operate under the Hamas-run government.

An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies at the nearby Nasser Hospital. The two children were beheaded by the blast and their remains were placed in one body bag.

The Israeli military blames civilian deaths on Hamas, accusing militants of hiding among civilians and fighting from residential areas. It rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children.

The war began when Hamas stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 43,800 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. They do not distinguish between militants and civilians but say most of those killed are women and children. The fighting has left some 76 people dead in Israel, including 31 soldiers.

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Here’s the Latest:

KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — An Israeli strike hit a tent sheltering displaced people in the Gaza Strip, killing two children aged 7 and 9 and their parents, Palestinian officials said. A third child, 10 years old, was wounded.

The Civil Defense, first responders who operate under the Hamas-run government, said Monday that the overnight strike occurred in the southern city of Khan Younis.

An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies at the nearby Nasser Hospital. The two children were beheaded by the blast and their remains were placed in one body bag.

The Israeli military blames civilian deaths on Hamas, accusing militants of hiding among civilians and fighting from residential areas. It rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children.

The war began when Hamas stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 43,800 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. They do not distinguish between militants and civilians but say most of those killed are women and children.

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