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| A Boy at Play in Gaza, an Israeli Missile, a Mourning Family | A Boy at Play in Gaza, an Israeli Missile, a Mourning Family |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| GAZA CITY — Sabah Dawawsa was in the kitchen on Friday morning frying the chicken livers her 10-year-old son, Ibrahim, had requested for the after-prayer meal. With Palestinian rockets having resumed at the 8 a.m. expiration of a 72-hour cease-fire, followed by Israeli airstrikes, Ms. Dawawsa said she had told Ibrahim to stay in the house, in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. | GAZA CITY — Sabah Dawawsa was in the kitchen on Friday morning frying the chicken livers her 10-year-old son, Ibrahim, had requested for the after-prayer meal. With Palestinian rockets having resumed at the 8 a.m. expiration of a 72-hour cease-fire, followed by Israeli airstrikes, Ms. Dawawsa said she had told Ibrahim to stay in the house, in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood. |
| Around 11 a.m., right as she realized that he had nonetheless gone to play at the mosque under construction down the street, Ms. Dawawsa heard the drone drop the missile. | Around 11 a.m., right as she realized that he had nonetheless gone to play at the mosque under construction down the street, Ms. Dawawsa heard the drone drop the missile. |
| It killed Ibrahim, leaving a pool of blood from his skull next to a crushed SuperCola can and an abandoned flip-flop. Two other boys were injured. | It killed Ibrahim, leaving a pool of blood from his skull next to a crushed SuperCola can and an abandoned flip-flop. Two other boys were injured. |
| “What shall I say? It was only a few minutes after he went out,” Ms. Dawawsa, 37, wailed as she clutched a picture of her son at 5 years old in a camouflage get-up. “It was only minutes, only minutes.” | “What shall I say? It was only a few minutes after he went out,” Ms. Dawawsa, 37, wailed as she clutched a picture of her son at 5 years old in a camouflage get-up. “It was only minutes, only minutes.” |
| Hundreds of mourners gathered at another nearby mosque to pray over the body of the first casualty in the latest chapter of the monthlong battle that has claimed the lives of nearly 1,900 Palestinians, including more than 300 children, and, on the Israeli side, 64 soldiers and three civilians. The renewed violence came as an Israeli delegation departed Cairo, where talks toward a more durable truce had made dubious progress. | Hundreds of mourners gathered at another nearby mosque to pray over the body of the first casualty in the latest chapter of the monthlong battle that has claimed the lives of nearly 1,900 Palestinians, including more than 300 children, and, on the Israeli side, 64 soldiers and three civilians. The renewed violence came as an Israeli delegation departed Cairo, where talks toward a more durable truce had made dubious progress. |
| Leaders of Hamas, the Islamist faction that dominates Gaza, had warned on Thursday that they would resume the battle if their demands to open border crossings, remove Israeli restrictions on trade and, especially, build their own seaport on the Mediterranean were not met. Israel had promised to return fire with fire. Both kept their word. | Leaders of Hamas, the Islamist faction that dominates Gaza, had warned on Thursday that they would resume the battle if their demands to open border crossings, remove Israeli restrictions on trade and, especially, build their own seaport on the Mediterranean were not met. Israel had promised to return fire with fire. Both kept their word. |
| Gaza militants launched a rocket toward southern Israel exactly at 8 a.m. — it was intercepted over Ashkelon — and followed with about 40 others by midday, according to the Israeli military. Israel, in turn, fired artillery shells at Gaza’s already destroyed northern towns of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, dropped at least one bomb from an F-16, and struck a home in Gaza City belonging to a Hamas leader, Mahmoud al-Zahar, and hit other targets in Gaza City, Jabaliya, Rafah and Khan Younis, killing four people in addition to Ibrahim before 8 p.m., Palestinian health officials and witnesses said. | |
| “I was happy for the last three days — today I felt sick because the cease-fire ended,” said Amal al-Masri, 45, who bought a small bag of green grapes at the Jabaliya refugee camp to share among 30 relatives whose home in Beit Hanoun had been flattened. “We lost everything. If an earthquake happened here, it would be better. | “I was happy for the last three days — today I felt sick because the cease-fire ended,” said Amal al-Masri, 45, who bought a small bag of green grapes at the Jabaliya refugee camp to share among 30 relatives whose home in Beit Hanoun had been flattened. “We lost everything. If an earthquake happened here, it would be better. |
| “I don’t want the war to resume,” she added, “but who’s going to bring back our rights? This is the only way.” | “I don’t want the war to resume,” she added, “but who’s going to bring back our rights? This is the only way.” |
| As news spread that the cease-fire was over, many shops remained open, and cars and people were on the streets of Gaza City. Packs of teenagers roamed and men sat smoking on the sidewalks. In the Jabaliya camp, a man exercised seven camels on a leash, and young boys toted cartons of supplies on their heads back to the school where their families have been sheltering for weeks. | As news spread that the cease-fire was over, many shops remained open, and cars and people were on the streets of Gaza City. Packs of teenagers roamed and men sat smoking on the sidewalks. In the Jabaliya camp, a man exercised seven camels on a leash, and young boys toted cartons of supplies on their heads back to the school where their families have been sheltering for weeks. |
| Heading north, it grew quieter. In Beit Hanoun, a ghost town of felled concrete buildings, Anas Kaferna, 25, and his sister and brother were tying thin mattresses and blankets atop a fading silver sedan. “I don’t want to be the last one in the town,” he said. | Heading north, it grew quieter. In Beit Hanoun, a ghost town of felled concrete buildings, Anas Kaferna, 25, and his sister and brother were tying thin mattresses and blankets atop a fading silver sedan. “I don’t want to be the last one in the town,” he said. |
| Since the first attack on Beit Hanoun weeks ago, Mr. Kaferna said they had been staying at the maternity hospital where he worked as a security guard, though it was also pocked by shelling. Now they were bound for Gaza City, though uncertain where they would stay. “It seems the situation will get harder,” he said. “Maybe yes and maybe no. I don’t understand politics.” | Since the first attack on Beit Hanoun weeks ago, Mr. Kaferna said they had been staying at the maternity hospital where he worked as a security guard, though it was also pocked by shelling. Now they were bound for Gaza City, though uncertain where they would stay. “It seems the situation will get harder,” he said. “Maybe yes and maybe no. I don’t understand politics.” |
| Back at the Jabaliya market, Amir el-Fassis, 17, and Muhammad Bahtini, 21, said they were awoken by a drone strike the Israelis refer to as a “knock on the door,” warning of a larger bombing to follow. It hit a six-story apartment building under construction next to their home, they said. They evacuated, but waited in a growing crowd nearby to see what would happen next. | Back at the Jabaliya market, Amir el-Fassis, 17, and Muhammad Bahtini, 21, said they were awoken by a drone strike the Israelis refer to as a “knock on the door,” warning of a larger bombing to follow. It hit a six-story apartment building under construction next to their home, they said. They evacuated, but waited in a growing crowd nearby to see what would happen next. |
| “They are peaceful people, they sell tomatoes in the market,” Mr. Bahtini said of the Sherafi family, who own the apartment building and live on its ground floor. “When it is down, we will say, ‘May God get us revenge.’ | “They are peaceful people, they sell tomatoes in the market,” Mr. Bahtini said of the Sherafi family, who own the apartment building and live on its ground floor. “When it is down, we will say, ‘May God get us revenge.’ |
| “We have suffered, but we can endure for the sake of having a rest forever after that,” he added, invoking an Egyptian proverb, heard frequently around Gaza this week, that means, “Either we live in happiness or all of us die.” | “We have suffered, but we can endure for the sake of having a rest forever after that,” he added, invoking an Egyptian proverb, heard frequently around Gaza this week, that means, “Either we live in happiness or all of us die.” |
| Zuheir Dawawsa, 19, one of Ibrahim’s brothers, said he, too, was awoken by the too-familiar sound of a drone. He ran to the construction site where, three months ago, work began on a 13,000-square-foot mosque, called Al Nour, to replace the one destroyed by an Israeli strike during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-09. | Zuheir Dawawsa, 19, one of Ibrahim’s brothers, said he, too, was awoken by the too-familiar sound of a drone. He ran to the construction site where, three months ago, work began on a 13,000-square-foot mosque, called Al Nour, to replace the one destroyed by an Israeli strike during Operation Cast Lead in 2008-09. |
| Neighborhood children told him that his brother had been among the boys playing there when it was hit. Then a youth approached with Ibrahim in his arms. | Neighborhood children told him that his brother had been among the boys playing there when it was hit. Then a youth approached with Ibrahim in his arms. |
| “His skull was open,” said Mr. Dawawsa, who was wearing a T-shirt that said, “Nothing Is Impossible,” and could hardly speak. “He was already dead.” | “His skull was open,” said Mr. Dawawsa, who was wearing a T-shirt that said, “Nothing Is Impossible,” and could hardly speak. “He was already dead.” |
| Family members and neighbors said Ibrahim was an energetic boy, nicknamed Barhoum, who loved his PlayStation and soccer, like so many others. He was the second-youngest of eight children from his father’s two wives, and slept on a mattress in the spacious second-floor salon where his mother sat mourning on Friday. “He was a good heart,” said a sister, Raghda, cradling her own 7-month-old daughter. “He was always giving what was in his hand to others.” | Family members and neighbors said Ibrahim was an energetic boy, nicknamed Barhoum, who loved his PlayStation and soccer, like so many others. He was the second-youngest of eight children from his father’s two wives, and slept on a mattress in the spacious second-floor salon where his mother sat mourning on Friday. “He was a good heart,” said a sister, Raghda, cradling her own 7-month-old daughter. “He was always giving what was in his hand to others.” |
| Photographs of President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and his predecessor, Yasir Arafat, hung above the women’s heads. In the next room was a map of British Mandate Palestine, with cities and villages labeled in Arabic. Outside, the house’s stone wall bore a painted mural of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem’s Old City. | Photographs of President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and his predecessor, Yasir Arafat, hung above the women’s heads. In the next room was a map of British Mandate Palestine, with cities and villages labeled in Arabic. Outside, the house’s stone wall bore a painted mural of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem’s Old City. |
| At the construction site, men and boys pointed up at the place where the missile had shaved off a concrete pylon and sundered the wooden scaffold before, apparently, hitting Ibrahim in the head. They had found several pieces of jagged-edge metal shrapnel. | At the construction site, men and boys pointed up at the place where the missile had shaved off a concrete pylon and sundered the wooden scaffold before, apparently, hitting Ibrahim in the head. They had found several pieces of jagged-edge metal shrapnel. |
| The neighborhood leader, Nasser Abu Raid al-Ghoul, 60, said he was among about 30 men in the temporary mosque next to the site, reading the Quran in preparation for the noon prayer, when the missile hit. They first saw the two injured boys, and 10 minutes later found Ibrahim’s bloodied head under the debris. | The neighborhood leader, Nasser Abu Raid al-Ghoul, 60, said he was among about 30 men in the temporary mosque next to the site, reading the Quran in preparation for the noon prayer, when the missile hit. They first saw the two injured boys, and 10 minutes later found Ibrahim’s bloodied head under the debris. |
| “What, the boy was shelling Israel with this wood?” said a scowling neighbor, Mahmoud el-Amoudi, 31, pointing to two-by-fours from the scaffold. “I’m sure Israel will say he killed himself. | “What, the boy was shelling Israel with this wood?” said a scowling neighbor, Mahmoud el-Amoudi, 31, pointing to two-by-fours from the scaffold. “I’m sure Israel will say he killed himself. |
| “Where is Barack Obama? Where is Human Rights Watch? Where is the free world, just crying on TV?” | “Where is Barack Obama? Where is Human Rights Watch? Where is the free world, just crying on TV?” |