Israeli strike in Gaza's Sabra kills aid worker and three others

An Israeli airstrike hit a car in the Sabra neighbourhood of Gaza City on Tuesday evening, killing a Palestinian aid worker who helped organise public screenings of World Cup matches across the territory. Local health officials said the strike also killed two children and a taxi driver who were nearby when the vehicle was hit. The incident took place in a densely populated part of Gaza City and came amid continuing Israeli attacks in the enclave.

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The dead were identified as Mohamed al-Wahidi, a member of the Egyptian Committee in Gaza, the brothers Hamza al-Deri, aged 10, and Fari al-Deri, aged 8, and Ahmed Daghmush, 33. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, the director of Shifa Hospital, said he received the bodies and provided the casualty details. Israeli forces said al-Wahidi was not the intended target of the operation and said the strike was aimed at a Hamas member, while they were also examining whether Daghmush had been the intended target.

Abu Selmiya said Daghmush worked as a taxi driver and was not known to have links to armed groups. The Egyptian Committee in Gaza, where al-Wahidi worked, is the humanitarian arm of Egypt's government and has provided food, shelter and other assistance to Palestinians in Gaza. It was also responsible for installing screens in different areas of the territory to broadcast World Cup matches, turning the games into a rare public event in a place where daily life has been heavily disrupted by war.

The strike came shortly before the match between Egypt and Argentina, adding to the sense of disruption around a tournament that had drawn strong interest among Palestinians in Gaza. The report said the attack turned what would have been a moment of celebration into another example of the civilian toll from near-daily Israeli strikes. It also noted that Egypt has played a central role in mediating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, giving the incident wider political relevance beyond the immediate casualties.

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The same report said another Israeli strike had hit the same street about half an hour earlier, but without causing casualties. That detail suggests the area was already under attack before the fatal strike on the car. The report also said many Palestinians in Gaza have been following Egypt's team closely during the tournament, reflecting how major sporting events can take on added meaning during conflict.

It remains unclear from the available information who the intended target of the strike was and whether the military assessment will change. The immediate questions are whether further official findings will be released and whether the incident will affect already fragile ceasefire dynamics. For now, the strike adds to the continuing civilian death toll in Gaza and underscores the risks faced by people moving through urban areas during the conflict.

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