A three-year-old Palestinian girl was killed in southern Gaza on Sunday, according to local sources, raising fresh concerns over civilian safety despite a ceasefire that officially came into effect in October. The incident has renewed international scrutiny of the fragile truce and the broader political process aimed at ending the conflict.
The child, identified as Ahed Tareq al-Bayouk, was reportedly playing near her family’s tent in the Mawasi area of Rafah when she was shot. Mawasi has become a sprawling displacement zone, sheltering thousands of families forced from their homes by months of fighting and destruction across the Gaza Strip.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was “not aware of a strike” in the area at the reported time of the incident. In a brief statement, the military added that it would “conduct an additional review” once further information was made available, but did not provide additional details.
Human rights groups say the killing adds to a mounting civilian toll since the ceasefire began. Amnesty International estimates that at least 370 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October, including 140 children, despite the halt in large-scale combat operations.
Ahed al-Bayouk’s death reportedly occurred on the Palestinian side of the so-called Yellow Line, an area from which Israeli troops had agreed to withdraw as part of the first phase of a United States-backed plan to end the fighting. The demarcation was intended to serve as a buffer zone to reduce clashes and protect civilians.
The ceasefire agreement’s first phase also focused on hostage and prisoner arrangements. Under its terms, all 20 living hostages and 28 bodies of hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, were to be returned. With one exception, all have now been repatriated.
The remains still unreturned belong to Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old Israeli police officer. Israeli authorities believe he was shot and killed while attempting to repel the attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. His body is thought to still be held inside Gaza.
Since the start of Israel’s military campaign following the October 2023 attack, more than 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. The figures cannot be independently verified, as international media organizations are barred by Israel from reporting freely inside the territory.
The humanitarian situation remains dire. The World Health Organization has warned that at least 16,500 Palestinians who are wounded or seriously ill urgently require evacuation from Gaza for lifesaving medical treatment. Limited exit permissions and damaged medical infrastructure have compounded the crisis.
Diplomatic efforts to move beyond the initial ceasefire phase have stalled. On Saturday, Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, described the situation as more of a “pause” than a true ceasefire. He said Qatar was working alongside the United States, Turkey, and Egypt to push negotiations toward a second phase.
Phase two of the proposed plan would involve the establishment of an interim governing authority in Gaza, the deployment of an international security force, the disarmament of Hamas, and Israel’s eventual withdrawal from the territory. The initiative would be overseen by a Board of Peace chaired by US President Donald Trump.
The plan also outlines long-term redevelopment and institutional reform, aimed at creating what it calls “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” Supporters argue that economic reconstruction and political reform are essential to preventing renewed cycles of violence.
During talks in Jerusalem on Sunday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the eventual creation of a Palestinian state could represent the best chance for “a new Middle East.” He emphasized the need for long-term political solutions rather than temporary security arrangements.
Standing alongside him, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his strong opposition to a two-state solution. He argued that “the purpose of a Palestinian state is to destroy the one and only Jewish state,” stressing that Israel would not support any arrangement it viewed as an existential threat.
Despite their differences, the Israeli and German leaders agreed that progress toward the second phase of the American-backed plan should move forward as soon as the remains of Ran Gvili are returned. Netanyahu is expected to discuss the proposal further when he meets President Trump in the United States on December 29.
The death of Ahed al-Bayouk has become a stark reminder that, even amid diplomatic talks and ceasefire agreements, civilians—especially children—continue to bear the heaviest cost of the unresolved conflict.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members