Daijiworld Media Network - Gaza
Gaza, Jan 25: Two Palestinian boys were killed by Israeli fire in northern Gaza on Saturday while they were out collecting firewood to help their families cope with the harsh winter, their relatives and hospital authorities said.
The victims were cousins Mohammad Al Zawaraa (14) and Suleiman Al Zawaraa (13). Their bodies were taken to Al Shifa hospital, where grieving family members gathered. Videos from the hospital showed the distraught father of one of the boys holding his son’s body in his arms.
According to their uncle, Salman Al Zawaraa, the boys lived with their families in northern Gaza and were close friends. He said they had gone out together early in the morning to collect firewood for cooking and heating.
“They were full of life and joy. They wanted to help their parents, so they went to collect firewood for cooking and for warming the family in this harsh winter,” Salman Al Zawaraa told media outlets.
The Israeli military confirmed an incident in northern Gaza on Saturday, claiming that troops identified “several terrorists” who crossed the so-called Yellow Line, planted an explosive device and approached soldiers, posing an immediate threat. The military said the same incident resulted in the deaths of the two boys, with a military source asserting that “they were not children,” without providing evidence.
The boys’ family strongly rejected the claim. Their uncle said the children were nowhere near the Yellow Line and were instead close to the entrance of Kamal Adwan hospital. “What the occupation army says is a lie. Those were innocent children killed in cold blood,” he alleged, adding that in many areas of Gaza the Yellow Line is not clearly marked.
This is not the first such incident. In November, two brothers, Fadi (8) and Jumaa Abu Assi (10), were killed in a drone strike while collecting firewood for their disabled father. At the time, the Israeli military acknowledged the strike, describing the children as “suspects” who had crossed the Yellow Line and posed a threat.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Sunday that three people were killed by Israeli military action in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll since the ceasefire came into effect in October to 484. The ministry added that the cumulative death toll in Gaza since October 2023 has reached 71,657. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its data.