Six-Year-Old Gaza Girl Found Dead, Family Says, Blaming Israel

 Palestinians extinguish a burning car hit by an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, February 10, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinians extinguish a burning car hit by an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, February 10, 2024. (Reuters)
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Six-Year-Old Gaza Girl Found Dead, Family Says, Blaming Israel

 Palestinians extinguish a burning car hit by an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, February 10, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinians extinguish a burning car hit by an Israeli strike, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, February 10, 2024. (Reuters)

A six-year-old Palestinian girl who went missing after the family's car came under fire in war-ravaged Gaza was found dead Saturday, the health ministry and her relatives said, accusing Israel of killing her.

The last time Hind Rajab had been seen was about two weeks ago when she was surrounded by dead relatives after becoming trapped in the vehicle as they tried to flee Gaza City as Israeli forces advanced.

"Hind and everyone else in the car is martyred," the girl's grandfather, Baha Hamada told AFP.

A number of family members made the grim discovery when they went to Gaza City's Tel al-Hawa area looking for the car near a petrol station where it had last been spotted, he said.

"They were able to reach the area because Israeli forces withdrew early at dawn today," Hamada added.

The health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip confirmed Hind's death.

"She was killed by (Israeli) occupation forces with all those who were with her in the car outside the petrol station in Tel al-Hawa," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier this week, family members had said the group found their way in the path of Israeli tanks and were fired on as they tried to flee.

Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military did not comment on the incident.

The war in Gaza was sparked by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Vowing to eliminate Hamas, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza that the territory's health ministry says has killed at least 27,947 people, mostly women and children.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
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US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.