Israeli ‘double-tap’ air strike responsible for killing schoolboy in Gaza

What Happened

On Tuesday, an Israeli drone struck a group of Palestinians in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood north of Gaza City. The initial strike injured Palestinian Civil Defence paramedic Sharif Shadi Labad, who lay on the ground amid destroyed buildings. Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed a group of Palestinians running to assist Labad when a second drone strike hit the same location. Israeli forces claimed they were targeting Hamas operatives. The second strike killed 15-year-old schoolboy Mohammad Abdul Zinati and wounded a number of others, according to Palestinian outlet Shehab News. The weapon was believed to be a Mikholit, an Israeli-developed guided glide bomb, according to the article. This is part of near-daily Israeli attacks since the US-brokered ceasefire announced in October 2025, according to the article. Since that ceasefire, at least 1,381 people have been killed and 4,757 wounded in Gaza, per figures cited by Al Jazeera. Gaza's Health Ministry reported six people killed and 71 injured in the previous 24 hours on Wednesday. Overall, since the start of the war in October 2023, at least 73,795 people have been killed and 174,869 wounded, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. UNICEF reported more than 64,000 children killed or injured between 7 October 2023 and 7 October 2025.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The strike illustrates the use of 'double-tap' tactics, where a second munition targets first responders arriving after an initial blast. An investigation by +972 Magazine and Local Call, cited in the article, found that the Israeli army adopted double-tap strikes to increase the likelihood a target dies, often during imprecise strikes. Such tactics are particularly controversial because they kill medics, rescue workers, and journalists. The continued strikes despite the ceasefire undermine its credibility and contribute to Gaza's severe humanitarian crisis, with health infrastructure nearing collapse.

Watch For

Watch for responses from the UN Security Council, WHO, and OCHA to the urgent pleas by Gaza's Health Ministry and Civil Defence, particularly whether Israel permits additional medical aid and fuel into Gaza. Monitor for further double-tap strikes or other Israeli air attacks in Sheikh Radwan and elsewhere, and whether ceasefire mediation by the United States, Qatar, or Egypt addresses the ongoing near-daily attacks.