Israeli strike kills children playing in the street

A young, apparently lifeless girl lies on a hospital bed at the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, her pink roller skate still strapped to her foot.

Footage circulating on social media showed Tala Abu Ajwa, 10, covered in blood as doctors desperately tried to save her on Tuesday.

Moments before, she had been playing with her neighbours outside their residential building in central Gaza City.

"She insisted on going down to play with her friends. She kept nagging, saying that she would not be late. When her mother refused out of fear for her safety, given the situation, she had her friend’s mother call to convince her to let her join them," Tala’s father, Hussam, told Middle East Eye.

“At around 5pm, her mother finally gave in to her pleas and allowed her to play downstairs. She left the apartment, and just a couple of minutes later we heard two massive explosions. The first thing that came to my mind was that Tala was not home, so I rushed downstairs to find her.”

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