Israeli forces kill three-year-old Palestinian boy on family farm in Gaza

Deir el-Balah, Gaza Strip – Israeli forces shot and killed a three-year-old boy as his father carried him in central Gaza, the family has said.

Rayan Abu al-Ajeen was shot in the Wadi al-Salqa area of Deir el-Balah governorate on Sunday afternoon, and his body was taken to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital on Monday.

His father, Bahaa, was shot in the leg and is being treated in hospital.

The family says the father and son had been travelling in areas outside of the so-called ‘Yellow Line’ – not under the direct control of the Israeli military – and were heading towards the family’s greenhouses when the shooting happened.

Jaber Abu al-Ajeen, Rayan’s grandfather, says he was at home next to the family’s farm when he heard gunfire, and discovered that his son Bahaa and another relative he was walking with had been targeted. He then found out that Rayan had been killed.

“My grandson, Rayan, was killed by a gunshot to the head; the bullet entered his head and exited through his eye,” Jaber told Al Jazeera. “His mother is devastated by what happened.”

Al-Ajeen explained that his son had been taken into an area controlled by the Israeli army, and then left bleeding for seven hours until he was transferred to hospital for treatment.

“We are still deeply worried about Bahaa’s condition, as he is not yet stable after bleeding for hours, and the condition of his leg is very serious.”

The Israeli military has yet to comment on the shooting.

Israeli forces have continued attacks in Gaza since the October ceasefire, killing almost 1,000 Palestinians. In total, Israel has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians since the beginning of its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.

Many of the killings have been near the ‘Yellow Line’, which Israel has continued to expand despite the stipulations of the ceasefire agreement.

Jaber al-Ajeen said the family had long been wary because of their proximity to the ‘Yellow Line’.

“We have lived in this area for a long time,” he said. “We are mere civilians working in agriculture, and all our lands are located outside of the ‘Yellow Line’.