Israeli Airstrike Levels Homes in Central Gaza, Killing Child

Residents of the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza spent Tuesday picking through the debris of their homes after an Israeli airstrike the previous day killed a four-year-old child and wounded the child's mother and sister, according to local hospital officials.

The strike hit after residents said they received an evacuation warning from the Israeli military. One family was unable to flee in time. Video footage from the scene showed collapsed concrete slabs, twisted metal, and household belongings scattered across the area. A nearby mosque also suffered a partially destroyed dome.

Ali Naser, whose home was flattened, said at least seven houses were destroyed or damaged. "The order came, and we all went outside," he said. "No one knew where they would hit. We were shocked fifteen minutes after the call when the whole area was bombed."

Naser described the personal toll: "In a moment, in less than a second, all our dreams, memories, and all the hard work we'd put in over the years were destroyed by an Israeli missile. It didn't destroy the buildings; it destroyed our dreams and memories."

The strike was among several attacks in central and northern Gaza on Monday that killed at least four people, including the child. The attacks came after Israeli officials said the military would act forcefully against kite launches from Gaza. Kites are among the few forms of entertainment available to Gaza children after more than two years of war.