• Devastation in northern Gaza: At least 87 people have been killed and more than 40 injured in an Israeli strike on Beit Lahia, according to the Gaza health ministry, with graphic footage showing children among the dead. The UN warns “the nightmare in Gaza is intensifying” during Israel’s renewed offensive in the north, where it says Hamas was regrouping.
• Netanyahu defiant: Facing pressure to strike a deal after the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his forces will “continue forward until the end” in Gaza. Israel is also pressing on with the fight against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
• Leaked Israeli plan: The US is investigating a leak of highly classified intelligence about Israel’s planned response to Iran’s major missile attack earlier this month, sources tell CNN. Iran, meanwhile, has denied involvement in the launch of a drone toward Netanyahu’s home in central Israel on Saturday.
At least 87 killed in Israeli strike on northern Gaza, health ministry says. CNN NEWS
“This is what our child died for — beans.” Family devastated after aid airdrop kills 3-year-old
From Abeer Salman, Mohammad Al Sawalhi, Ibrahim Dahman and CNN’s Niamh Kennedy
Family members in central Gaza have described their devastation after an airdropped aid pallet killed their 3-year-old child.
“We were sitting here in the morning having breakfast when the airplanes dropped aid. We looked at it and were so scared because it came close to our tents,” Sami Ayyad told CNN from Khan Younis in central Gaza.
Ayyad and his grandson, also named Sami, ran to their makeshift tent nearby to seek shelter, but a falling pallet hit the boy, killing him instantly, his grandfather said.
“They dropped parachutes of aid, and the aid killed our children … What for? I don’t want aid; my son is gone,” the boy’s father, Mahmoud Ayyad, told CNN.
The boy’s aunt and cousin, who were sheltering inside their tents, were also injured by the airdrop. The cousin suffered injuries to her face, while his aunt’s foot was broken.
Sami’s uncle Mohammed opened one of the aid packages and showed the contents to a CNN journalist: “This is what our child died for — beans! Is this our dignity? Packs of tea? Packs of sugar?”
Some context: As the humanitarian crisis has deepened in Gaza and overland routes are cut off, countries have used airdrops as a means of getting vital food aid into the enclave. But aid groups say Israel’s allies need to convince Israeli officials to loosen their tight siege on aid entering the enclave by ground to make a significant impact.
Palestinians in Gaza have described the experience of receiving airdrops as dangerous and humiliating, while also voicing practical concerns about the content of the deliveries. Some packages airdropped into Gaza have contained meals which needed to be heated by microwave, for example, a representative for the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians previously told CNN.
