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Two Young Brothers Killed by Drone Strike While Gathering Firewood for Their Paralyzed Father

Two boys, Fadi (8) and Jumaa (10), were killed by a drone strike while collecting firewood for their paralyzed father in Bani Suheila, east of Khan Younis. The IDF says the boys crossed the 'yellow line' and posed an immediate threat, prompting an airstrike. Palestinian authorities report Gaza's death toll continues to climb since October 7, 2023, while human rights groups warn of a deepening pattern of rights violations in 2025.

06:29 AM, 12/03/2025Conflict

Tamer Abu Assi was preparing breakfast on Saturday when he discovered he had no firewood left. Because he is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, he sent his two sons, Fadi, 8, and Jumaa, 10, to fetch wood for the morning fire. The boys did not return.

Neighbors rushed into Abu Assi's shelter to tell him two children had been hit nearby. He went to identify the bodies and described a heartbreaking scene.

‘I removed the shroud and hugged them. My little Juju's head was blown off; his arms were severed and parts of his torso were gone. Fadi's right hand and left leg were cut off,’ Abu Assi said, trembling.

The family says the boys were killed by an Israeli drone strike in Bani Suheila, east of their shelter in Khan Younis. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed a strike in the area, saying the two had crossed the so-called 'yellow line', conducted 'suspicious activities' on the ground and approached IDF troops, posing an immediate threat. The IDF said the air force acted to remove that threat.

Bani Suheila lies in territory the Israeli military controls to the east of the 'yellow line'. With few visible markers on the ground, the precise boundary can be difficult to determine, and since the ceasefire took effect in October Palestinians have repeatedly been killed along this invisible demarcation. The military has frequently described those killed as posing an immediate threat.

Wider context

Palestinian authorities report Gaza's death toll has continued to rise since the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has said more than 70,000 people have died, including over 10,000 women and 20,000 children. Emergency teams say they have recovered more than 600 bodies since the ceasefire began, and Gaza's Civil Defense estimates thousands of bodies remain buried under rubble across the enclave.

The ministry also reports that more than 350 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire started. A report by The Platform, a coalition of 13 Israeli human rights organizations, concludes that 2025 has seen 'wider, deeper and unprecedented harm' to Palestinian human rights, describing a profound shift in the conduct of the war and Israel's mechanisms of control.

The day before he was killed, Jumaa asked his father to sing his favourite song. Abu Assi said he was not feeling well and planned to take Jumaa to a medical checkup the next day, promising to sing then. 'I told him, come with me to the checkup and I'll sing all your favorite songs for you, my son,' he recalled, tears streaming down his face.

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