A heartbreaking incident occurred when two Palestinian boys were fatally shot during an Israeli military operation while they were gathering firewood to cook and keep their family warm amid the harsh winter season.
The two unfortunate boys were Mohammed Al Sawara, 14, and Sulaiman Al Sawara, 13, cousins who were shot dead on Saturday morning and taken to Al-Shifa Hospital.
A video circulated online shows the father of one boy holding his lifeless body amid sounds of crying and despair.
The boys lived with their families in northern Gaza. Salman Al Sawara, their uncle, told CNN that the cousins were very close and cheerful children. He tearfully said they were full of life and happiness and simply wanted to help their parents by gathering firewood to cook food and keep the family warm during this harsh winter, but they met a tragic fate instead.
However, the Israeli military told CNN that their soldiers in the area detected multiple terrorists crossing the Yellow Line, planting explosives, and moving close to the troops, which was seen as a direct threat.
An Israeli military source also claimed the individuals were not children but provided no evidence to support this assertion.
The deceased boys’ family insisted the location of the incident was far from the Yellow Line and near a hospital entrance, condemning the military’s claims as lies and stating the boys were innocent and were cold-bloodedly killed.
Reports indicate that in many parts of Gaza, the Yellow Line is not clearly marked, leaving residents unsure about which areas are restricted zones.
This is not the first time children in Gaza have died while collecting firewood. Last November, Fadi and Juma Abu Assi, aged 8 and 10, went out to find firewood for their disabled father and were killed in a drone strike. The Israeli military acknowledged responsibility, labeling the boys as suspects who crossed the Yellow Line and exhibited suspicious behavior.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health stated that in the past 24 hours, at least three people have died in Israeli military operations, raising the death toll since the ceasefire took effect in October to 484.
The cumulative death toll in Gaza since October 2023 stands at 71,657, according to the ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
. Source:CNN
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