On 30 December 2009, three children from the Hamdan family, living in Beit Hanoun, North Gaza, left their house at about 8:00am to take the rubbish out. Israeli drone planes and helicopters were circling above the city. Shortly after they had left, the children, aged 4-12, were targeted by an Israeli missile fired from a drone plane. Sisters Lama and Haia were killed instantly; their brother Ismail died the next day.

Read the full report: Three siblings killed in airstrike near their home in North Gaza

DCI-Palestine documented the deaths of 352 children as a direct result of military attacks during Operation Cast Lead. In addition, five children died as an indirect result of the offensive (one baby born prematurely during an air raid; three children killed by unexploded ordnance; one child who had undergone heart surgery a week before the offensive and inhaled white phosphorous fumes).

DCI-Palestine, 6 March 2010