GAZA CITY — Mohamed al-Wahidi, director of the Egyptian Committee in Gaza, was killed on June 17, 2025, in an Israeli missile strike in the Sabra district of Gaza City. The strike also killed three other individuals, including two children, and occurred shortly before a World Cup match screening he had organized.

Mr. al-Wahidi, 57, was in a vehicle when the strike occurred. Two brothers, 8-year-old Fari al-Deri and 10-year-old Hamza al-Deri, were among those killed. Ahmed Daghmush, a taxi driver, died at a hospital from shrapnel wounds sustained in the blast.

An Israel Defense Forces spokesperson stated that Mr. al-Wahidi was not the intended target. "Yesterday, the IDF struck a terrorist in Hamas' military wing while he was traveling in a vehicle in the northern Gaza Strip," the spokesperson said. "The IDF is aware of the claim that uninvolved civilians were harmed as a result of the strike." The spokesperson added, "The incident is under review." The Israeli military confirmed it was investigating whether Ahmed Daghmush was the target.

Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of Shifa Hospital, stated that Mr. Daghmush was not known to be affiliated with any militant group. Shifa Hospital received the bodies of the four individuals killed. An earlier Israeli strike hit the same street half an hour prior without causing casualties.

Abd Alkhaleq al-Wahidi, a cousin of Mohamed al-Wahidi, described the aftermath. "We were gathered at a family event when we heard an explosion and were told that a car had been hit on al-Maghribi Street," he said. "When I arrived, medical crews had already recovered the bodies of a child and an unidentified man, while another young man was lying on the ground with injuries." Abd Alkhaleq al-Wahidi added, "The first moments after learning of Mohamed's death were extremely difficult." He also stated, "He was widely loved and had a strong presence at family and community gatherings."

Why It Matters

Mr. al-Wahidi directed the Egyptian Committee in Gaza, which operates as the relief arm of the Egyptian government, providing food, shelter, and other assistance to Palestinians. The strike occurred shortly before a World Cup match screening he organized.

The incident adds to the civilian casualty count within the Israel-Hamas war. Since the truce took effect in October, at least 1,084 people have been killed by Israeli military action, with 258 of those being children. The Gaza Health Ministry reports a total Palestinian death toll of 73,110, noting that women and children constitute approximately half of all fatalities. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its counts. In October 2023, Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages.