Gaza teen killed in Israeli drone strike while trying to save wounded man

GAZA CITY, Palestine (MNTV) – A Palestinian teenager was killed in an Israeli drone strike while attempting to rescue a wounded civil defense worker.

Mohammad Al-Zeinati was returning from a Quran memorization class in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood Tuesday when he witnessed an Israeli drone strike that wounded a young man and left him lying on the ground.

Amid ongoing bombardment and danger, Al-Zeinati rushed toward the man, named Sharif Labad, attempting to reach and help him in moments captured on video that was later widely circulated on social media.

But Al-Zeinati, who was no more than 15 years old, was unable to complete his attempt.

A second drone struck the area, killing them both and injuring others.

The incident occurred when an Israeli drone targeted a gathering of Palestinians in Sheikh Radwan, northwest of Gaza City, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to Anadolu.

The footage captures the final moments of Al-Zeinati’s life, from his return to the area and movement toward the wounded man to the second strike. The images sparked widespread grief and outrage on social media.

Many commentators described the scene as a depiction of a child killed while trying to save another person’s life, while others praised Al-Zeinati’s courage in rushing to the wounded man despite the ongoing bombardment.

Commentators highlighted his courage in rushing to help the wounded man before he was himself struck by an Israeli attack, while others pointed to the scene as an illustration of how children and those trying to rescue the wounded can become caught in the violence.

Mohammad Haniyeh wrote that Al-Zeinati “was returning from a Quran memorization class” when a young man in front of him was struck.

“His instinct drove him toward him with a group of young men, only for them to be struck again and Mohammad to be killed,” he wrote.

Mohammad Al-Za’anin described the incident as “more than just breaking news,” saying the footage tells “the final story of the child Mohammad Al-Zeinati as he tried to save another victim.”

Akram Obeid highlighted Al-Zeinati’s rush toward the wounded man, writing that he was “a small child but with the conscience of a man,” adding that he rushed to help those who had been hit before he and others were struck themselves.

Sanaa Abu Al-Qara described the incident as a “documented crime,” writing that “a child trying to save a life” was hit by a second drone.

Abdel Latif Al-Razihan commented on the deaths of Al-Zeinati and Labad, writing: “Innocence and humanity are buried under bombardment.”

Mai Maghrabi summarized the scene by saying “a drone for every citizen,” describing how Labad was hit by one drone and Al-Zeinati was struck by another when he tried to approach him.

Mohammad Othman said the second strike was “deliberate,” arguing that Israel “knew people would move toward strike sites to rescue the wounded but struck the area again to cause more casualties.”
At Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, another scene documented the aftermath, showing Al-Zeinati’s father grieving over his son’s body wrapped in a white shroud.

The killings came despite a ceasefire agreement that has been in place since October 2025, with Israel continuing airstrikes, shelling and gunfire in different parts of the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire took effect, Israeli forces have killed 1,381 Palestinians in what Palestinian authorities describe as repeated violations of the truce.

Israel launched its war on Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, killing more than 73,000 Palestinians and injuring over 174,000, according to Palestinian figures. About 90% of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged, according to Palestinian authorities.