The IDF Southern Command has launched an internal investigation into a airstrike in Khan Yunis, Gaza, that resulted in the deaths of nine Palestinian children of a local doctor.
The investigation, led by a brigadier general appointed by Southern Command Chief Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkelman, will seek to determine whether the children’s deaths are linked to an IDF strike targeting four armed Hamas terrorists.
According to IDF sources, the strike was legally authorized by military legal advisers and executed following extensive surveillance. The IDF General Staff’s Fact-Finding Assessment Mechanism (FFAM) has not yet intervened, awaiting the findings of the Southern Command inquiry.
Foreign media reported on Saturday that nine of the ten children of Dr. Alaa al-Najjar, a physician at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, were killed in an airstrike in the southern part of the city. Reports indicated that Dr. al-Najjar was on duty at the hospital at the time, while her husband and children remained at home. The father and one surviving child, an 11-year-old boy, were reportedly wounded but survived.
Strike followed hours of surveillance
The IDF confirmed that forces operating in the area were conducting a manhunt for four armed terrorists when the strike occurred. Troops from the 36th Division, operating in coordination with Southern Command, had tracked them in Khan Yunis for several hours, according to a senior IDF officer. Once conditions were deemed appropriate, the strike was carried out, eliminating the four targets.
However, it remains unclear whether the children’s deaths were a direct result of that strike.
“The IDF is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether there is a connection between the operation and the civilian casualties,” the senior officer said.
Unexploded ordnance, AI manipulation among theories
While the IDF has not confirmed any direct responsibility, officials have not ruled out the possibility that the children were killed by an unexploded ordnance launched earlier by the IAF that later detonated. There is also the possibility that the deaths were unrelated to IDF activity altogether.
Some IDF sources have raised concerns about imagery shared online in connection with the incident, suggesting that certain photos may have been generated or altered using artificial intelligence tools.
“Something about the images appears inconsistent and illogical,” one officer said, emphasizing that there is currently no indication that civilians were present in the immediate area of the strike, nor is there evidence that direct IDF fire hit the children.
Thorough investigation underway
In order to clarify the circumstances, a designated investigation team has begun questioning officers from the 36th Division, the Gaza Division, and Southern Command. The probe will rely on recorded communications, intelligence debriefings, and testimony from legal advisers involved in approving the operation. Tools from Unit 9900 in the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate — responsible for geospatial intelligence — will also support the investigation, along with aerial and ground surveillance assets.
At this stage, the General Staff’s investigative unit, headed by Maj.-Gen. (Res.) Yoav Har-Even, has not launched a parallel inquiry and is awaiting the Southern Command’s findings.
Khan Yunis declared combat zone
The IDF reiterated that Khan Yunis is considered a high-risk combat zone. “The area was cleared of civilians ahead of the operation to protect them,” an official statement said.
Preliminary findings submitted Sunday by Brig.-Gen. Mor Omer, commander of the 36th Division, indicated the investigation is focused on the timeline of the strike, the approval process, and the intelligence that led to the operation.
The deaths of the children have drawn international attention and condemnation. In response, the IDF reiterated that it is examining all allegations of civilian harm resulting from the drone strike.
“Khan Yunis is a dangerous combat zone, and the IDF took steps to evacuate civilians before the start of military activity,” the IDF said in a statement.
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