By David Gritten | BBC News | Reporting from Jerusalem

At least 15 Palestinians—including eight children and two women—were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Thursday near a medical distribution point in central Gaza, according to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah.

The hospital reported that the victims were standing in line for nutritional supplements when the strike occurred. Footage from the facility showed the aftermath: bodies of children and adults laid out on the floor as medical staff attempted to treat the wounded.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the strike targeted a Hamas militant in the area and acknowledged that civilians may have been harmed. “The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals,” the statement said, adding that the incident is under review.

Elsewhere in Gaza, an additional 26 people were reported killed in separate strikes on the same day. These developments came as ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas resumed in Doha, Qatar, with mediators from the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar involved. Despite recent expressions of hope from U.S. officials, little progress has reportedly been made.

At the al-Aqsa hospital morgue, grief-stricken families gathered to mourn. Relatives wrapped the bodies of children in white burial shrouds and performed funeral prayers. Among the victims was a pregnant woman, Manal, and her daughter Fatima, according to her aunt Intisar. Manal’s young son is reportedly in intensive care.

“She was just in line to get supplements for the children,” said Intisar. “Then the strike happened. I don’t know what happened after that.”

A nearby woman asked, “For what sin were they killed? We’re dying in front of the whole world’s eyes. If people aren’t killed by bombs, they die looking for food.”

The IDF identified the intended target as a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba unit, allegedly involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. That assault, led by Hamas fighters, killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages taken, triggering the current Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

Since the war began, Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry reports over 57,680 deaths. The territory has suffered widespread destruction, with most homes damaged or destroyed, essential infrastructure collapsed, and severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine, and shelter. The majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced multiple times.

Despite ongoing negotiations, major obstacles remain. A senior Israeli official in Washington said it may take one to two weeks to reach a deal and reiterated that any extended ceasefire would be used to push for a permanent end to hostilities, requiring Hamas to disarm. Hamas, however, accused Israel of being uncooperative and reiterated its demand for a full cessation of the military offensive.