DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza (AP) — A 16-year-old Palestinian girl lost her life Monday morning when an Israeli airstrike hit a crowded street in Gaza City as she made her way to school to sit for an exam, according to family members.
The victim, identified by a relative as Raghad Hassan Ashour, 16, was on her way to take an 11th grade test when the strike hit the Rimal district, said relative Jameel Ashour.
The Israeli military confirmed the strike, stating it was aimed at a Hamas militant. However, the military also said it was aware of reports that an “uninvolved individual was harmed.”
Ashour’s body was transported to Shifa Hospital, where her mother and dozens of other Palestinians gathered to grieve. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported that three additional people suffered injuries in strikes in the same area.
Footage from the scene and its aftermath showed crowds gathering near two vehicles that had been destroyed in the blast, with rescue workers present and blood visible on the ground.
Israel has pressed forward with military strikes in Gaza even after a ceasefire agreement was reached in October. The Israeli military maintains that its operations target Hamas and other armed groups that pose a security threat, and has accused Hamas of breaking the ceasefire terms. Nevertheless, civilian casualties have continued to mount.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire took effect. On the Israeli side, five soldiers have died since the truce began.
The conflict traces back to October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants launched an assault into southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and seizing 251 hostages. Israel’s military response in Gaza has since resulted in the deaths of 73,018 Palestinians, including those killed after the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The ministry operates under the Hamas-led government and is run by medical professionals who maintain detailed casualty records. United Nations agencies and independent analysts generally regard its data as credible. The ministry does not separate civilian deaths from militant deaths, though it notes that women and children account for roughly half of all fatalities.
