UNICEF says 1-year-old killed in IDF strike on Gaza medical clinic spoke first words hours before

Among the children killed in a Thursday Israeli strike on a medical clinic in central Gaza’s Deir al-Balah was a 1-year-old boy who spoke his first words hours earlier, says the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The boy was with his mother, who UNICEF says was critically injured in the strike and “now lies in a hospital bed clutching [her son’s] tiny shoe.”

UNICEF says it is “appalled” by the “unconscionable” Israeli strike that reportedly killed 15 Palestinians, including nine children and four women.

The IDF said it targeted a Hamas operative who took part in the October 7 onslaught. Footage of the strike verified by Reuters showed the bodies of women and children lying in pools of blood amid dust and screaming. One clip showed several motionless children lying on a donkey cart.

The medical aid that the victims were seeking to pick up was provided by Project Hope, a UNICEF partner organization.

“These were mothers seeking a lifeline for their children after months of hunger and desperation.”

“The lack of aid means children are facing starvation while the risk of famine grows. The number of malnourished children will continue to rise until life-saving aid and services are resumed at full scale,” the UN agency adds.

“We call on Israel to urgently review its rules of engagement to ensure full compliance with international humanitarian law, notably the protection of civilians, including children, and to conduct a thorough and independent investigation of this incident and all allegations of violations,” UNICEF says, reiterating its call for a ceasefire and release of all hostages.