Moments of ordinary life in Gaza City are increasingly fragile. A family gathering meant to mark an upcoming marriage was abruptly transformed into grief when a 13-year-old boy was fatally wounded inside his own home, underscoring how even private spaces have become perilous during the ongoing genocidal war.

Mohammed Khalil Abu Samaan had been helping relatives prepare for his uncle’s wedding, moving through the house with the excitement typical of a child anticipating celebration. As drones hovered overhead, a single shot struck him, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to Al Shifa Medical Complex, where doctors confirmed catastrophic head trauma. He remained unconscious until his death the following morning, after hours in intensive care that his family could only watch in silence.

Relatives described how the atmosphere shifted within seconds. Laughter and quiet conversation about wedding arrangements gave way to panic as blood filled the stairwell. The family home in the Zeitoun neighbourhood, once considered a refuge, became the site of an irreversible loss. For those present, the incident shattered any lingering belief that staying indoors offered protection.

The killing did not occur in isolation. Across the Gaza Strip, civilians continue to face lethal danger from aerial surveillance and live fire, even in periods portrayed as relatively calm. Homes, schools and streets remain exposed, while families are left to navigate daily life under constant threat. According to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry Of Health, tens of thousands have been killed since 2023, with children and women forming the majority of the victims.

Mohammed’s death cancelled a wedding and left a family confronting the stark reality that childhood itself is no longer protected. His story reflects a wider pattern in which joy is fleeting and loss is immediate, as a generation grows up amid mourning rather than milestones.