GAZA CITY — A Palestinian child and a paramedic were killed in an Israeli drone strike in northern Gaza City after the boy rushed to help a wounded man lying in the street, according to eyewitness accounts and footage reviewed in connection with the incident.
Mohammad Abdul Zinati, 13, was walking home from school when an explosion struck near Salah Khalaf Street. Moments later, a second blast hit as he approached the injured man, killing both of them.
The incident has raised fresh questions about civilian protection and the risks faced by people attempting to rescue the wounded in Gaza.
Child Killed While Trying to Help Injured Man
The incident unfolded shortly before 3:30 p.m. as Mohammad stopped at a supermarket where friends and classmates had gathered.
An explosion suddenly struck the area, sending dust and smoke into the air. When the scene became visible, witnesses saw a badly wounded man lying on the road and calling for help.
Mohammad ran towards him.
His cousin, Mohammed Rajeh Zinati, 26, said he noticed a drone approaching and tried to warn the teenager.
“Run! Get away!” he shouted, according to his account.
But Mohammad continued towards the injured man. A second munition struck just as he reached the casualty.
The boy suffered fatal injuries to his chest and abdomen. His cousin said he was killed almost immediately and that there was no opportunity to rescue him.
The injured man was later identified by Gaza’s civil defence as paramedic Sharif Shadi Labad.
Witnesses Describe a Possible Double-Tap Strike
The attack has been described by witnesses and weapons experts as resembling a “double-tap” strike — a term used for an initial attack followed by another strike on the same location after people arrive to help.
Tamer Lubbad, who filmed the aftermath, said he and others moved towards the scene after hearing the first explosion. They found a man still alive and calling for assistance.
Weapons expert Trevor Ball, a conflict researcher and trainer at Bellingcat, examined footage of the incident. He identified the munition visible before impact as a Mikholit, a weapon deployed by Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles.
Ball said drones equipped with high-resolution cameras would likely have been able to identify the people approaching the wounded man. He also said that at least some variants of the weapon could be redirected while in flight.
The observations raise questions about whether the second strike could have been prevented. However, the available footage and expert analysis do not by themselves establish the operator’s intent or the full circumstances surrounding the attack.
Israeli Military Says Incident Is Under Review
The Israeli military said Labad was a Hamas militant who belonged to the group’s elite Nukhba forces. According to the military, he had participated in the October 7, 2023 attacks at the Erez border crossing and was planning further operations.
The military said it regretted harm to uninvolved civilians and maintained that it takes steps to reduce civilian casualties during military operations.
It did not directly explain why the second strike proceeded as the teenager approached the wounded man. The incident, it said, was being reviewed.
The Israeli military has repeatedly rejected allegations that it deliberately targets civilians.
Gaza Civilian Death Toll Continues to Rise
The killing comes amid continuing violence and severe humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where families face displacement, damaged infrastructure and limited access to medical care.
Gaza health officials reported that at least 73,783 Palestinians had been killed and 174,738 wounded since the war began in October 2023. The figures include deaths reported during the period following the fragile ceasefire that took effect on October 11, 2025.
In recent days, other attacks have also reportedly killed children and civilians, adding to concerns about the safety of Palestinians living in areas affected by military operations.
For Mohammad’s family and neighbours, the teenager’s death has left a community mourning a boy remembered for helping others.
His cousin said Mohammad was polite, kind and respectful. He was also known for assisting elderly residents collecting water from trucks serving the neighbourhood.
After the attack, his body was taken to al-Shifa hospital, where his father said farewell while reciting verses from the Qur’an.
The incident has renewed scrutiny of the dangers faced by civilians and emergency responders in Gaza, particularly when they move towards people injured in an earlier strike.
