An Israeli airstrike in Gaza City killed a Palestinian aid official who helped organise public screenings of the FIFA World Cup, along with three other people, shortly before Egypt's Round of 16 match against Argentina, according to local health officials.
The strike hit a vehicle in the Sabra neighbourhood at dusk on Tuesday, disrupting what had been planned as a public gathering for football supporters.
Dr Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital, said those killed were Mohamed al-Wahidi, an official with the Egyptian Committee in Gaza, brothers Hamza al-Deri, 10, and Fari al-Deri, 8, and 33-year-old taxi driver Ahmed Daghmush.
The Israeli military said al-Wahidi was not the intended target. It said the strike had been aimed at a Hamas militant and that authorities were reviewing whether Daghmush had been the intended target. Hospital officials, however, described Daghmush as a civilian taxi driver with no known links to militant groups.
Officials said another Israeli strike had hit the same street about 30 minutes earlier but caused no casualties.
The Egyptian Committee provides humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter and relief supplies, across Gaza. It had also organised large public screenings of FIFA World Cup matches to give residents a brief escape from the hardships of the ongoing conflict.
Support for Egypt's national football team has grown among Palestinians during the tournament, particularly after Egypt coach Hossam Hassan repeatedly expressed support for the Palestinian people. Ahead of Tuesday's match against Argentina, he called on the international community to do more to protect Palestinian civilians.
The Israeli military says its operations are directed at militants and that it seeks to minimise civilian casualties.
According to Gaza health authorities, at least 1,027 Palestinians, including 258 children, have been killed since a ceasefire took effect in October. Israeli authorities say five Israeli soldiers have also been killed during the truce.
The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023. The conflict was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
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